Target Practice
by j3nnee
Summary: Neal gets waken up early on Saturday by Peter for a corporate team building exercise with the FBI. Whumpage is due!  Possible spoilers from first season maybe 2nd... just depends.
1. Chapter 1

**Target Practice**

Neal stumbled into his room at June's, his fedora slightly more askew than usual. He was dressed as usual to the nines, his suit one of those vintage ones that he borrowed from June. He closed the door with a less than elegant kick of his Italian leather loafer and weaved across the room to his bed. He slipped off both shoes with a clumsy kick of his feet, nearly falling on his butt but just catching himself with a quick spin and turn, tumbling back onto his bed. He lay there a moment, staring glassily up at the ceiling before he pushed himself up to a sitting position and began to pull off his jacket, shirt and then his pants, tossing them at the end of the bed in a messy pile. The fedora was still precariously perched on his head as he stood long enough to pull the covers aside and slip inside, curling up with a soft snore escaping his lips.

_Neal..._

He turned in his sleep, pulling the blanket over his head and ducking underneath as much as he could. Someone poked him slightly, nudging his shoulder through the duvet.

_Neal... wake up!_

He continued to curl up tighter, hiding under the blanket till someone pulled it aside and the dim light of the morning started to penetrate his closed eye lids. Neal rolled over till his face was buried into the pillow, arms covering his face ever so slightly.

_Come on Neal. You promised._

Neal finally opened his eyes, feeling his temple throb from the previous night's drinking with Alex. He peered up blearily and saw a blurry form looking down at him. Slowly his eyes focused and he found himself staring up at Peter Burke. He blinked, rubbing at his eyes and pulling the blanket back up to cover himself as he realized he was in a tee and boxers.

"Peter... What are you doing here? What time is it?" Neal sat up slightly, his back against the headboard as he yawned and stretched. He felt a slight lowering of the bed as Peter sat on the edge and poked him again.

"You forgot, didn't you? Figures... well it was a couple of weeks ago I told you about this and you were fiddling with the GPS on the Taurus..." Peter sighed, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. It was then Neal noticed what his partner was wearing old jeans and a beat up looking, washed out tee. It surprised him even for Peter's usual comfortable style, making him wonder if El had seen what he was wearing.

"El know you look like you're about to dig ditches for a living?" Neal smirked, yawning slightly as he saw Peter roll his eyes.

"If you remembered why I'm here... you'd know why I'm dressed this way. We have the corporate team building session today at the paintball range. So get up, shower and pull on some old clothes... or something that you don't care if it gets dirty." Peter patted him on the shoulder, Neal just blinking at him as if he were dreaming.

"Paintball? As in shooting balls of paint at the other person? You're kidding right? You know I don't..." He paused as Peter held up a hand and shook his head.

"Don't want to hear it... just get dressed and meet me downstairs in a few minutes, ok?" Peter yawned as he said that, obviously not as awake as he seemed to be. Neal smiled sleepily, pointing at the kitchenette.

"Wait on the terrace. I'll put some coffee on for you. Ok?" He watched Peter perk up and nod, moving aside as Neal pulled the blankets aside and grabbed his robe, wrapping it around him as he stood and stretched. He still felt a bit hung over from the night before but if he had to be up, coffee was his best bet and June's Italian roast... nothing like it in the morning. He shuffled over to the kitchen area as Peter went and opened up the terrace French doors and walked out onto the patio, the early morning sunshine still soft behind the early morning clouds. Neal squinted as he passed the opening and reached up over the counter to pull the coffee maker out. He set it up, the little glass pot peculating before he shuffled back over to the bathroom and ducked inside.

It didn't take Neal long before he was out of the bathroom, robe wrapped around him, hair dripping slightly. He was drying his hair with a towel wrapped around his neck like a scarf. He could smell the enticing aroma of coffee filling the room, walking over and pouring a cup for Peter and himself as he walked back into the bedroom area and started through his wardrobe. He really didn't have any '_throwaway_' clothes he wanted to ruin but if he had to, one pair of jeans had a small bleach stain he had meant to fix but now was a good time to just use them and throw them out. He found a well used tee and button up he no longer cared for, pulling them on along with some old white tube socks he never used and a set of tennis shoes he'd bought some time ago to help do some work June had him assist her with.

He heard footsteps and saw Peter peer around the corner and blink. The agent walked over and looked the younger man up and down as if he were seeing something odd.

"I've never seen you in anything that wasn't designer and even in this you look like a runway model." Peter seemed impressed, his brown eyes glittering in a teasing kind of way that made Neal blush.

"Stop it already... all I had to throw away like you said. The coffee's ready if you're up to some." He walked over to the pot and grabbed one cup and let Peter take the other, both men going out on the terrace to sit and drink a moment. June popped in, a tray of food in her hands. Neal got up to help her with it, Peter standing politely. She made a face for them not to fuss but Neal took the tray and kissed her lightly on the cheek with a smile as he thanked her, walking back to the table. She followed him, nodding to Peter.

"So what are you boys doing so early on Saturday? A case?" June's voice sounded coyly interested, her eyes bright. Peter smiled but shook his head.

"Corporate team building exercise. Hughes thought it would be good for our team to get together and do some paint-balling." Peter grinned looking over as Neal rolled his eyes.

"We couldn't have done a corporate wine tasting instead? That's team building _and_ taste building." Neal smirked a bit at Peter's expression.

"But wine tasting doesn't prepare you for the field. Today you can practice some of your stealth moves, Bond." Neal rolled his eyes at Peter this time as they finished eating, thanked June and took off for the paintball field. Neal sank back into the seat, yawning slightly as he pushed his sunglasses on. He hadn't brought his fedora since it would get ruined so he put an arm over his face to shade the early morning sun.

After a bit he felt a nudge, looking up groggily to see Peter waking him up.

"Hey sleeping beauty, we're here." Peter sounded way too chipper even with the coffee they'd had. Neal nodded with a tired yawn, sitting up and removing his seat-belt as he opened the door and stepped out into the sunlight. Peter made a noise, Neal turned and caught something the agent threw him. It was a beat up but clean Yankees cap. Neal stared at it as if it were going to bite him, Peter chuckling.

"Don't want your hair to get all mussed up do we? And it will keep the sun out of your eyes." Peter pulled a similar cap over his head, smiling way too happily for a Saturday morning. Neal nodded as he pulled the cap over his hair and glanced at himself in the side mirror of the Taurus. He crinkled his nose a bit but shrugged, following Peter when he saw him leave towards the entrance to the paintball field. They had driven out to Long Island to a nearby establishment full of woods and brush perfect for commando training Neal thought. Not something he was fond of but if he had to...

"BURKE!" Hughes' voice reached across the small space before they entered the grounds. The director was smiling happily, Jones, Diana and three other agents already gathered around him. Everyone was dressed down with worn out jeans and tees. Diana gave Neal a look of concern.

"Peter, you did tell him we're getting dirty, right?" She was smirking slightly. Neal smirked back thinking she didn't look half bad in her form fitted yet faded black tee and torn up jeans.

"This is all I had to throw away. I don't make a habit of _getting_ dirty." He winked slightly making Jones chuckle. Peter sighed about to make a comment when Hughes interceded.

"If he wants to look like a runway model maybe it will distract the enemy. Let's stop lolly-gagging and get this game started!" Everyone nodded in agreement, following Hughes past a small entrance shed where a perky co-ed, yet fit looking girl and muscular guy greeted them.

"Hi and welcome to _X-Treme Paintball_! My name is Karen. I'll be one of your hosts for this game." She paused, her voice more cheery than any of the FBI agents were feeling for an early Saturday morning, looking briefly at her coworker who looked like he could easily pose for a weightlifting magazine. She wore a tight-fitting camouflage tee tucked into torn jeans while her coworker wore a similar outfit.

"And my name is Curtis. I'll be putting you through the drills to get started and equipping you. We just need everyone to sign the wavers and well get started. Karen, if you'll do the honors?" He smiled with perfect white teeth and raven black hair, his tan skin glowing in the early morning sunlight. Neal wondered if people looked at him like that and wanted to vomit from the charm but he pushed the thought aside along with his reluctance to be there as he followed the cute blond girl with the others. She winked at him when they sat inside the green room and passed them forms. He gave his best smile back, Peter looking at him sideways with a smirk.

"Looks like you're all legal now. Curtis will get you equipped with armor, helmets and guns." She smiled, seemingly flashing her green eyes at Neal a moment before leaving the room. Curtis made a wave for them to follow into the next space where they found hangers of armor in camouflage colors, shin guards and matching helmets. Neal watched his colleagues gearing up and grabbed a suit of his own. Everything seemed like it was way too big for him, a hand grasping his shoulder at one point. He turned to see Curtis there, hazel eyes bright with excitement. Neal blinked, looking at the fit young man who was probably only a few years younger than himself and looked like ex-military with the short cropped hair.

"Hmmm... You're a skinny guy, let me get you a suit that fits better." Curtis smiled that smile, making Neal want to punch his lights out from annoyance more than anything. The skinny remark had brought a few chuckles from the others with only Peter and Diana looking a bit annoyed at the man. Curtis came back with a slightly smaller set of armor that looked like it would fit.

"It's not quite so bulky but it should fit your frame better." Curtis left it at that and walked away to help the others. Neal fumbled with the armor, never having had to dress up like gladiator before. He felt another hand on his shoulder, a silent sigh as he turned and blinked seeing Peter rather than Curtis there.

"Got it?" Peter asked, surreptitiously helping Neal with the protective gear when the others had already taken off outside.

"Thanks. Never had to dress up for Armageddon before. So... what exactly are we going to be doing besides shooting paint balls at targets?" Neal was still reluctant to go out there but for Peter and his colleague's sake he'd give it a go. Peter grinned and shook his head.

"Oh this is beyond just shooting targets. It's an obstacle course. I was talking to Curtis about it. Apparently we're all on the same team but broken up into buddy pairs. You have to get your buddy and yourself through the course without getting splattered with paint from the automatic guns. Fun right?" Peter sounded enthused not noticing the gulp Neal made as he nodded with feigned intrigue.

"Yeah... fun. So uhm... let's get going already." Neal shuffled forward, Peter smacking him on the back ever so friendly.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. I know you don't like violence but think of this as a giant _Nerf_ battle but when the paint ball hits, you'll feel it." Peter was still grinning broadly, a side of his friend he hadn't really seen before.

"Wow... you really like your competition and sports, Peter. Nerf battle? Isn't that a little childish?" Neal squinted, pushing his sunglasses back over his eyes as they exited outside. Curtis was handing guns out to everyone, dressed up in his own special armor that stuck out from the rest of the group. Karen had on a nice black set of armor that made him think of something a little less than juvenile, till he saw the gun in her hand and felt a bit turned off.

"Everyone have a gun?" Curt called out looking at Peter and Neal as he passed a gun to Karen who carried it over to Neal and another one for Peter. Again, she smiled ever so slightly at Neal brushing his arm as she handed him the weapon. He was distracted by her sauntering away till Peter poked him and whispered.

"_Get your head in the game, Caffrey! Hughes is going to be watching. You and I are partnered up. Jones and Diana. Hughes and Jeffries and then Karnes and Baker. Everyone runs the course separate with their team member._" Peter sounded somewhat serious, Neal nodding as he weighed the weapon in his hands. It was pretty heavy for a toy gun he thought, looking at the trigger and ammo belt which was full of small but apparently rubbery balls of paint.

"Ok everyone. Let's get this game started. The first two through the gauntlet will be..." Curtis was waiting for someone to volunteer, Diana holding up her hand.

"Jones and I will show everyone how it's done." She sounded cocky if not confident, Jones blinking but nodding with a '_let's get it on_' kind of look.

"Sounds good to me." Jones grinned, following Diana to the front of the group as Curtis waved them forward and walked off a few yards out of sight. Karen smiled at the rest of them, pointing at a nearby monitor on a small kiosk.

"You can watch your colleagues' progress from here." Karen stepped aside, letting them view the screen. Everyone was watching intently as they saw the course for the first time in real-time. It was pretty intense, Jones and Diana ducking and rolling through the obstacles with ease it seemed. Jones got hit once with a paint ball from the automatic guns around the course but Diana blew through the course like she was the wind. Nothing seemed to hit her and her aim was dead on. Neal was impressed if nothing else. He knew he had no way of doing that well even with the little gun skills he had.

"If no one has any questions, can I ask which group wants to go next?" Hughes raised his hand. Karen smiled.

"Ok then!" Karen was still smiling, looking at Neal off and on with a coy little wink when she addressed the group. Hughes and Jeffries ran through the course, everyone watching. Hughes did pretty well for an old guy but he did get hit a couple of times as did Jeffries.

When the next group was asked to go, Karnes and Baker stepped up. Neal was kind of glad Peter hadn't opened his mouth to volunteer but now they were going to be last and it would be more pressure on his partner even if he felt better at not going for a few more minutes. He wasn't anxious to do this and he figured Peter was aware of that.

"We're next, Neal. I hope you've been psyching yourself up for this. I didn't want to go last but I know you don't want to do this." He sounded a bit disappointed although he tried hard to hide it with his outward expression. Neal blinked, a feeling of guilt making him sigh.

"Yeah... I'm ready. Thanks for the delay." Neal was honest at least on the last bit. Peter nodded, glancing sideways at Karen. Neal saw the look as they both took a moment to stretch and prepare.

"I notice she was giving you the eye. She's pretty." Peter didn't make much more than a matter of fact comment, Neal blinking back as he gave a little glance at the blond. He blushed slightly despite himself.

"She's ok. I tend to like dark hair." He left it at that, Peter nudging him with a little smirk.

"Uh huh... come on Casanova. We need to get ready." They saw Karen smiled at and motion for them to come forward.

"It's your turn." Her eyes seemed to flash coyly at Neal before she stepped back and pointed the way.

"Curtis will meet you at the end there to tell you what's up. You'll see your friends on the other side. Ready?" She kept looking at Neal who smiled charmingly back, distracted by her attentions as Peter nodded and sighed.

"Come on, Neal." He had to pull the younger man away, Neal shrugging at Karen as they turned and left down the trail.

The trail was fenced naturally with tall oak, ash and pine with a good couple of feet or more of natural brush along the bottom. The path was rather rough but they made it to a small red flagged area that marked the starting area. Curtis was waiting for them there.

"You're the last ones. Make it count." He grinned that shiny smile that made both men look at each other and groan inwardly. They waited for Curtis to prompt them and when he started the clock they were off.

Peter sprinted ahead, Neal not too far behind, looking sideways and behind as they traversed the path. The trail was littered with fallen trees, holes and other natural pitfalls like small streams and such. Nothing shot at them or jumped out so they were just running along trying to make time. Neal paused just before they came up to a fallen log and what appeared to be an unconscious person. Peter was snickering, looking at the figure despite Neal's curious look.

"It's a dummy. You pull it and something pops out and shoots you with paint. Oldest trick. Come on, let's climb over the log and get moving." Peter pulled the gun over his shoulder and started over the log when Neal noticed something odd. He pulled closer to the supposed dummy, Peter hissing at him.

"Neal! I told you don't... Did it just move?" Peter paled slightly, pulling himself down from the log and dropping down beside his partner. Neal was crouched beside the figure, removing the supposed cloth covering over the face that should have been filled with straw or sawdust but contained a real live person. The man looked to be around 50 years of age with cropped salt and peppery hair, tanned skin and was fit. The man was gagged with duct tape and unconscious with a large goose egg at the base of his skull. Peter crouched down beside Neal and felt the man's pulse: it was rapid, the man's breath shallow when they removed the tape and rags from his mouth. They removed the dummy outfit to reveal a uniform similar to what Curtis had been wearing: a tight camouflage tee with worn jeans and a name tag that read _**X-Treme Paintball - Jon**_.

"I don't think Curtis is who we think he is. Dammit!" Peter cursed, gently removing his armor to take off his jacket and push it under the man's head. Neal turned hearing something in the background, his intuition kicking in suddenly. He heard the snap of a twig from nearby and turned around to see a shadow over Peter.

"**WATCH OUT!**" Neal screamed but Peter turned too late as the sound of something blunt hit the agent on the back of the head, someone in black standing there like some sort of ninja. Neal made a move forward to help Peter but froze in fear when he heard the cock of a gun and saw metal glinting in the figure's hand. They chuckled slightly, pointing the weapon at Peter, a quiet '_pop_' making Neal realize they were using a silencer. He saw his friend shudder ever so slightly before a red stain grew where the bullet hit Peter in the shoulder. Neal finally broke out of his trance and moved forward to attack the person when he felt horrible pain from behind as something touched his neck. He collapsed, moving to raise his head to see how Peter was when he heard that dark humorless chuckle again and something blunt hit him on the back of the head plunging him into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**(Chapter 2)**

Neal heard what sounded like the roar of the ocean mixed with a drummer from a heavy metal band. His head ached and it felt as if his heart were beating inside of it. He vainly tried to lift his head up without much result, his eyes closed and heavily shuttered despite his best efforts to open them. He wiggled his feet to find them strangely immobile and swinging over some small expanse. Neal wiggled his fingers to find little feeling in them as he felt a pressure on his arms and shoulders. Finally he was able to crack his eyes open and pull his head up as it flopped back against his shoulder blades, his blue eyes gazing up at the rafters of a metal building.

His vision was blurring in and out of focus, his head lolling there between his shoulders as he stared upwards and saw his wrists both handcuffed as well as duct taped where he hung by a wire from those same rafters. He blinked, getting dizzy from the little bit of swaying caused by his slight movements as he came to. He held back being nauseated feeling rags stuffed into his mouth and tape pulled over his lips. He heard a muffled groan escape his throat, gaining the strength to lift his head up and look around at the scene that surrounded him.

Neal found several other figures, familiar figures hanging in the very same manner as he from the rafters. He blinked as he recognized them as his colleagues from the White Collar unit. Neal looked for Peter but there was no sign of his partner nor of Hughes. He saw a slight bit of blood on the floor indicating Peter may have been there unless someone else had been hurt but he didn't see any signs of injury so far on his team mates. Neal swallowed hard, holding back his fear and nausea as he made an attempt at loosening the handcuffs if nothing else. He would worry about the tape later but the cuffs, he might be able to get those loosened and drop himself to the floor to free everyone. Neal struggled, feeling a little give in the mechanism when he heard voices coming near. He managed to slump his head back to its original position of laying against his chest and closed his eyes.

"That old man is stubborn. Doesn't want to tell us anything even drugged. Same with Burke. Obstinate Feds! Wonder if they'll talk when their junior agents are threatened..."

Neal heard the voice, somewhat familiar in its tone, cursing as it drew nearer. Footsteps came closer as he cracked an eye to see who was coming before closing it again.

"What about the consultant? He's the only non-agent. Don't know much about him. He and the other agents weren't around when they put the boss away. Seems kind of weak compared with the rest. Maybe we can just kill him and throw his body somewhere..." This second voice was a little less intelligent sounding and rather cold. Neal gulped quietly, knowing they meant him and was only glad that they didn't know who he was. He heard movement nearby and tried his best to remain limp so they wouldn't know he was awake.

"We're going to kill them all eventually once we get what we want. Boss said not to take any prisoners."

Neal thought he heard a kind of mirthless humor in the man's voice, the idea chilling him as he thought about his colleagues' lives being in danger. He had to get himself free. Neal needed to get everyone out of here if possible. Someone grasped his chin in their hand, lifting his head ever so slightly. He twitched involuntarily, those hands grasping harder till he gave a bit of struggle.

"Ha... this one's awake! Let me play with him, Curt." The voice was menacing but the less intelligent sounding of the two. Neal blinked at the man, just seeing a blurry form in front of him. His head still hurt from earlier, his little struggles making him nauseated as the guy held him tightly by the chin and caressed his cheek with a large blade. Finally Neal could focus some, seeing the goon for what he was.

The man was just under six feet in height, dark brown hair and eyes with a uni-brow and large forehead. He looked as stupid as he sounded or at least that he was used more for his brawn than his brains. The glint in his eyes was manic with very little emotion. Neal didn't doubt the guy would kill him right then and there if the other man gave their permission. He felt the blade slide gently down his cheek, the cold metal chafing him some before pressing against his jugular dangerously. Neal felt his pulse quickening, the man smiling and licking his lips in anticipation.

"Stop it, Lorne. We need him for now. He might prove useful."

The man speaking was Curtis. His teeth were bright as he grinned at Neal, walking up and pulling his head back by the hair. Neal winced through his gag, eyes wide as he glanced up at the man. Curtis had to be over six foot three, muscles filling out the dark jumpsuit he wore. It suddenly occurred to Neal that this was who had attacked them and shot Peter. Neal glared at the man despite his lack of leverage. Curtis chuckled coldly.

"I see fire in his eyes for someone so... skinny." Curtis tore the tape off Neal's mouth in one move, Neal coughing out the rags and gasping for air.

"Let me go and you'll see what I'm capable of!" Neal knew he wouldn't have a chance beating this guy in a fair fight but free... maybe something would turn out. It was a chance he was willing to take for his friends.

"Oh, you like to live dangerously do you? 90 pound weakling versus... this?" He stuck his chest out like a proud peacock and that's when Neal had a good idea this guy had brains but his ego would ruin him.

"I've seen better on a mirror at the fun house." Neal smirked till something hit him like a brick wall across his chin. He saw stars, tasting blood where he'd bit his tongue or lip. Neal glanced up at the blurry double form of Curtis and smiled hazily.

"Why don't you pick on someone... your own... size!" He spit out with a little slur, his head spinning from the punch. He heard Curtis laugh, his hair freed as he was suddenly dropped to the floor. Neal lay in a heap, his cheek laying against the cool cement. He wanted to close his eyes and just stay like that despite being bound and in pain but someone pulled him up by the hair again to his knees and he was staring into those smug hazel eyes.

"Oh, I think you're big enough. We just need you conscious so I can kick your ass fair and square. Lorne, untied him and picked him up. I doubt he'll last one round." Curtis was grinning darkly, already flexing his arms and fists in preparation. Neal could barely think straight, feeling hands lift him up to his feet and try to steady him forcibly.

"Stand up already!" Lorne yanked him up and kicked him in the left shin, Neal wincing as he felt the sting, slumping a bit but held up by Lorne with a tight grasp, fingers biting into his arm. He gave an audible groan, standing as well as he could as the goon pushed him towards Curtis.

"Come on, slim. Show me what you got!" Curtis was goading him, Neal catching himself before he fell against the man and pulling back ever so slightly.

_Crap! _He thought. He was never going to beat this guy in a fist fight unless he had a 2x4 and 10 big guys or Diana to help him. He suddenly wished Peter had his back. Neal wondered where they had the agent and Hughes, his mind worrying when he sensed movement. He barely ducked aside, Curtis' fist smashing into his shoulder instead, making the con fall backwards onto his butt as he took the hit hard. Neal felt the air knocked out of him regardless, Curtis laughing as he kicked at him, Neal rolling aside.

"Get up, _slim_ before Lorne shoots one of your buddies." Curtis' voice was cold, Neal turning from where he sat to see Lorne pointing a gun towards Jones' temple, the agent hanging by his wrists unconscious. He gulped, pushing himself painfully back to his feet. Curt was bouncing on his feet like a boxer, fists ready. Neal sighed, unsure of what to do as he tried to steady himself to fight Curt. His vision was swimming.

"CURT! Quit playing with the prisoners."

Neal looked around Curt to see another man, about as tall as Curt but with spiky blond hair, fit and tanned. The man looked like another ex-military type making him wonder who their boss was that Peter and Hughes took him down. Lorne snuck up behind him, a hand wrapped around his arms, that knife back at his throat again. Neal gulped, watching the blond man move towards them, Curt frowning a bit as he watched the man and turned to look at Neal.

"Jackson... He's a Consultant. I figured we don't need him as much as the agents for our plans." Curt was smiling evilly at Neal, Lorne's blade pushing deeper into his throat till he thought the man would kill him for sure. Jackson looked at Neal a moment curiously, waving a hand at Lorne and Curt. Both men blinked, Lorne finally letting go and moving away.

"Lorne, handcuff him to that chair over there and then both of you leave!" Jackson didn't sound very friendly, Neal watching him as he was dragged over to a nearby chair bolted to the floor. Lorne pushed him roughly into the chair and cuffed him with his hands through the slats and behind him before leaving. Neal pulled on the cuffs to test them before he felt a hand grab at his hair and pull his hair back.

"Consultant... What kind of consultant would Neal Caffrey be with the FBI..." Neal was looking up at the man curious at the familiarity in his tone. He didn't recognize the man but those brown eyes seemed to know him as he looked up. White teeth grinned back, one of them shining golden. Neal had a flashback to something.

"_**Hurry up already!**__" He felt a kick in his side, collapsing to the ground. Neal winced looking up at the thug pushing him around. The kid wasn't much older than himself only bigger. He turned to see someone whimpering quietly near him, a young girl maybe 16 sitting off to the side held by another older boy, an arm holding her while his hand was firmly planted over her mouth._

"_**I said... HURRY!**__" Neal felt another kick and groaned, hands pulling him up and pushing him against the wall. He was staring into brown eyes, the boy grinning with a single glittering gold tooth._

"_**I can't open this if you keep 'kicking' me, Jack. Let her go, I might work faster.**__" Neal was flashing his blue eyes at the older boy, hoping they'd listen as he tried to silently plead. The boy smirked._

"_**You'll do what I tell you regardless of what happens, Caff.**__" The boy grasped Neal's right arm and twisted it back hard till the joint popped loudly. Neal winced and would have cried out but for the boy's other hand on his mouth._

"_**Just open this safe already or I'll let you watch us kill her. Understand?**__"_

Neal's eyes widened as he realized he knew this goon.

"Jackson..." He didn't know what else to say, his memory cowing him into silence as he remembered what had happened, guilt filling him.

"So you remembered me finally. I was wondering when that genius brain of yours would kick in. I was about to _kick_ start it myself." He chuckled evilly, his hand running through his spiky blond hair, as he let go of Neal.

"Still the same heartless goon I remember from High School. I guess you graduated from tormenting innocent freshmen and kicking puppies..." Neal smirked despite his fear, his head hitting the back of the chair with a loud crack as Jackson slugged him hard. Neal slumped back, tasting blood again and thinking his brains must be rattling in his head after that hit.

"Always the smart mouthed little brat I used to terrorize into to running me favors. You know... _Lena_ would have lived if you hadn't decided to be her friend. You should have stayed with us instead of going off on your own and trying to be _legit_. Strays can't be friends with those better than them. I see you're still trying to be the good pet to your betters." Jackson was pointing around at the agents, Neal pulling against his bonds when he knew what the man was insinuating.

"Don't even think about hurting them! I'll kill you!" Neal didn't know where that came from but his voice growled at the man, Jackson smiling down at him.

"Kill me? You couldn't even stand up to Curt and Lorne. You're as pathetic and helpless as when I first knew you. Still the same skinny shrimp." Jackson kept smiling, drawing closer till he had Neal pinned against the chair, his legs holding the con's down, one arm across Neal's chest hard enough to press his ribs down against his lungs, and another over his mouth and nose. Neal struggled, the cuffs rattling as he struggled to breath. He looked up desperately at Jackson, flashes of memory coming back to him.

"_**We got it! Thanks, Caff.**__" Jackson turned and looked at the other boy who immediately dropped Lena to the ground, her arms pinned behind her with one hand as he covered her mouth and nose with the other. Neal froze in horror at the sight._

"_**No need to keep her around. Job's done, right Caff?**__"_

_Neal tried to move to help the girl, one of the few people who'd treated him kindly but something blunt hit him across the back of the head. He slumped to the cool tile floor of the store, his head connecting with a thud. Someone pinned his arms back tightly, his legs held down as his head was pulled up by the hair._

"_**Watch, Caff. See what happens when you try to go above your status. You think she really 'liked' you? You were a plaything... a pet. Nothing but a cute stray she took in. You belong here with your own kind.**__" Neal struggled against the boy, his eyes returning to Lena as he heard her muffled cries for help. Her green eyes turned and looked at him at one point. It was only a moment before they rolled back to white and she slumped in the other boy's grasp, suffocated. _

_Neal felt warm tears falling down his face, guilt and sadness overcoming him as he shuddered with emotion. Jackson was laughing, his grip loosening slightly but just enough Neal took advantage. He flipped the boy off of him and ran towards the other one, his eyes fixed on Lena. Maybe he could still revive her. He didn't make it as someone tackled him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Neal gasped for air, a hand over his mouth and nose suddenly as he was pinned on his stomach to the floor. He kicked and fought but Jackson held him, warm breath near his right ear as he heard the boy speak._

"_**I would have let you live but you had to choose her, didn't you? Stupid mutt!**__" Jackson's voice was cold and unfeeling, his hand holding Neal's nose and mouth shut tightly, his weight keeping him from moving. Neal started to feel lightheaded but kept struggling, his eyes on Lena's still body. He needed to help... her..._

"Still the same stupid mutt..." Jackson's voice broke him out of his reverie, his vision blurring as he felt his chest tighten with lack of oxygen. Neal slumped back against the chair, eyes rolling back as he passed out.

**()()()**

_Neal?_

_Neal, wake up!_

He heard someone calling him from afar, cold darkness keeping him from moving.

_Neal!_

Neal tried to react to the voice. It was familiar; trusted.

**()()()**

Peter remembered something hitting him on the back of the head and slumping to the ground. He thought he heard Neal calling, opening his eyes a crack to see a dark form sneaking up behind the younger man. Peter couldn't warn him, paralyzed by the crack to his head. He saw Neal collapsed to the ground before he heard the '_pop_' and pain made him pass out.

He woke up later to someone slapping his face, several figures standing over him. Peter tried to move but found himself sitting in a hard wooden chair, arms cuffed behind him tightly. He tried to get up but the movement made him wince as he pulled his hurt shoulder.

"Fed's awake, Jackson. Shall we get started?" Curtis stood there, wrapping Peter's hair in his fingers as he pulled the agent's head back harshly. Peter struggled but his shoulder hurt where he'd been shot, keeping him from reacting. He felt his head pulled back more, neck bared as someone else approached in his peripheral. They held a needle dripping something clear.

"Just a little something to make you... talkative." The man had short spiked blond hair, pushing the needle to Peter's neck with little tact so he felt it. The needle was extracted just as painfully. He slumped more as whatever they gave him starts to invade his system.

"Wha..." Peter barely got the syllable out before he felt really relaxed and kind of warm. His mind felt like an open book, thoughts flying free but most of his thoughts going back to Neal. Where was his partner?

"So, Agent Burke... we need a little information." The blond man was talking, his voice echoing slightly under the drug's influence, Peter's vision blurring in and out of focus.

"Neal... where... is he?" He slurred his words, speaking slow and deliberately, everything seeming to move in slow-motion. He heard the man laugh.

"You'll see your colleagues soon. Give us some information first."

**()()()**

He didn't remember much of what happened. The drug having made him hazy, his thoughts flying free but mostly nonsense things as if he were totally sloshed. Still, he was thinking of and worried about Neal. He wanted to see his partner but they kept asking him other stuff he didn't understand while his brain went nowhere fast. Finally they were reduced to beating on him a bit but he just felt more hazy, his shoulder wound continuing to bother him.

It was later he realized they had dragged him from the chair and moved him into another room, dropping him on the floor, arms cuffed tightly behind him. He slumped there, unable to think straight much less move, his body wanting to sleep. He shifted his weight slightly, rolling onto his other side and coming face to face with stark blue eyes staring back. Peter blinked, seeing those eyes gaze glassily back at him without moving. He seemed to know those eyes but from where?

"_You're the only one I trust..."_

_Neal?_

Peter thought, his mouth refusing to work for a moment, his body still heavily affected by the drug and beatings they gave him. He winced as he shifted to move closer, Neal's eyes remaining staring and unseeing. Peter moved his ear next to the young man's pale face and started realizing his friend wasn't breathing.

"Neal?" He was bumping the younger man despite his right shoulder bleeding and hurting. Neal didn't move, eyes still staring blankly. Peter panicked slightly, doing something he would regret. He managed to move his hands to the front, pulling open his shoulder wound but ignoring it as he knelt weakly over his friend. He listened for a heartbeat and heard a faint beat as he started CPR despite his cuffed wrists.

"Neal!" He pumped the young man's chest then shifted his head back to breathe for him. Neal's chest moved slightly but his eyes remained glassy.

"Neal, wake up!" Peter continued chest compressions then breathed into his cold lips again. Neal didn't move. Peter was pumping harder on the CI's chest, struggling with the cuffs jingling around his wrists. He noticed the young man's eyes twitch slightly, pupils going from small pinpoints to a more normal size before closing. Then he heard a quiet gasp as he felt his friend shift and then groan. Neal's eyes fluttered open again, his gaze still somewhat glassy as he stared up at Peter.

"Pe..." Neal's eyes closed again, his voice trailing off as he slumped back into unconsciousness. Peter patted him gently, his own pains starting to get back to him. He collapsed next to his friend on the floor, looking up to see Jones and the other agents hanging from the rafters bound and gagged. Peter saw Diana and a few other agents starting to wake up but he was too tired to react, his wound taking precedence. His right shoulder burned from the gunshot, warmth dripping down his chest and soaking his shirt through. He shivered slightly, vision blurring to black as he felt consciousness leave him.

**(Sorry for the delay. Long LONG week)**


	3. Chapter 3

**(Chapter 3)**

Neal was dreaming.

_He woke up, coughing and gasping for air, chest bruised and sore from his earlier struggles. Neal opened his eyes, vision blurring back into focus as he rolled over to his side and stared up in the darkened room._

_Where was he?_

_What was he doing here?_

_Neal pushed himself to a sitting position, scooting to lean against the wall. He began to see what was around him and take in his surroundings. He was in the back storage room of a local convenience store. It was a place he frequented off and on, the owner a friend of his that he did some errands for off and on. To his left was an open safe, papers and other items were scattered inside and on the floor. It suddenly occurred to him this should be closed before his eyes wandered to his right and he froze in fear._

_She lay there on the floor not five feet from him. Her long dark hair draped partially over her face, eyes open and staring in his direction but blank of emotion or life. Neal move to his knees and crawled over, a pain forming in his chest as his memory returned._

"_**Lena? Lena, it's Neal. Wake up. Lena?**__" He spoke hoarsely, throat still hurting from having been nearly suffocated. He nudged her, Lena still staring blankly ahead. She didn't move, her skin cool to the touch._

"_**Lena!**__" He picked her up and cried, holding her in his arms. She had been one of his few friends who didn't care where he came from. Lena was one of the middle-class kids or 'rich kids' who Jackson and some of the other poorer kids felt were elitist. Neal had never really wondered much about her till that day of their chance meeting._

_She had been sitting alone in the courtyard during lunch on a bench wearing a pair of worn jeans and a blue tee with a black button-up sweater over it. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail as she sat, legs crossed, eyes lowered as she read a book with one hand and held half a sandwich in the other. He hadn't noticed much about her other than her lunchbox, wondering what else was in it as his stomach growled. She looked up at the sound, Neal ducking behind a tree and slipping down to a sitting position._

_He felt silly stalking someone for a sandwich but he kept hoping she'd get up and leave long enough for him to steal the other half of her lunch. Nobody else was an easy mark, not to say she was either. He sighed, leaning back against the tree and trying to think about the end of the school day. He could go to the convenience store where he helped out and get something then but he was still thinking about the meals he had missed._

"_**You're Neal... right?**__"_

_Neal stood up and turned, stepping back defensively as he saw her standing there beside him. She was smiling, her green eyes flashing at him with amused interest. He felt his face flush slightly in embarrassment thinking she was making fun._

"_**Maybe...**__" He wasn't sure how to act, Jackson and the other kids' words coming back to him as he thought about her being one of the rich kids. He turned to leave but her hand touched his arm gently making him pause. She moved to stand in front of him, looking him directly in the eyes as she pushed something into his hand._

"_I liked how you explained the calculus equation the other day in class. Mr. Monreal may have thought you were being a clown but you had it dead on." She winked at him, before walking away, picking up her stuff and leaving. Neal watched her go before he realized something was in his hand and looked down. It was the other part of her sandwich, still in the plastic baggie. He blinked, looking back up as he saw her glance back at him a moment, smiling softly._

_Lena..._

Neal felt warmth in his eyes, something wet escaping his closed lids as he felt consciousness coming back to him. He opened his eyes, slowly, focusing on his surroundings. He was staring up at the metal rafters above, his mind trying to piece why he was doing this when he remembered Jackson. Slowly he started to recall what had happened, the paintball incident and finding himself bound. He heard a muffled sound of protest as he turned his head and saw Diana staring down at him. He nodded sluggishly as he pushed himself to a sitting position. Diana was shaking her head at him, her eyes looking behind him worriedly. Neal blinked and turned to find Peter laying there. The agent's head was slumped loosely to one side, his hands cuffed, and a large red stain on his right shoulder. Peter looked ashen, Neal nudging his friend.

"Peter?" He remembered now. Curtis and someone else had jumped them, knocking Peter out and then shooting him in the shoulder. They had tased Neal and knocked him out as well till he had woken up and nearly gone a round with the huge lug. He unlocked the cuffs then pulled off his button-up shirt, tearing open Peter's tee so he could get a good look at the wound. It was a small hole, the bullet having gone clear through but it was still bleeding steadily. Neal tore up his shirt into strips to bind the wound as best he could. Peter didn't twitch a muscle, his skin cool to the touch but he was breathing and his pulse was there if not just a tad rapid. Neal sighed in relief, continuing to finish his make-shift first-aid when he heard Diana's muffled voice again.

"He's ok for now." Neal managed to push himself to his feet despite everything, the world spinning around a moment. Once he was steady, he stumbled towards Diana and cut her loose. She pulled the tape from her mouth and hugged him slightly.

"You ok, Neal?" She sounded worried, maneuvering him over to the chair he had been in, sitting him down when he swayed.

"I'll free the others. Just sit a moment." She put a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder, walking away and heading towards a groggy Jones. She got him loose and then freed the other two agents. Everyone was slowly coming too, whatever drugs they'd been given starting to wear off. Jones checked on Peter and Neal, Diana trying to rally them all once they were lucid enough.

"I guess you've been awake a while, Neal?" Diana asked him as she checked on Peter. He nodded back at her, exhausted from everything that had occurred.

"Yeah. Peter or Hughes wasn't here when... Jackson came. Curtis... he's one of the men who took us and another one... named... Lorne. I get the impression... they might be ex-military." He was out of breath still from having been choked. Diana nodded.

"So we have at least three people to deal with. I wonder where they're keeping Hughes." She cursed quietly, Jones joining her. Neal shrugged tiredly, his head slumping back against the chair, eyes closing. He felt someone shake him gently, wincing. His shoulder still ached from the blow Curtis dealt him. He was just glad it had hit his shoulder and not his face.

"I'm… awake." His voice wasn't very believable, his eyes looking up at her listlessly. Diana was hovering over him worriedly, looking around at the others.

"I'm guessing their armed? Neal?" She had turned back to him, his head nodding ever so slightly.

"Yeah. Lorne had a… gun and a BIG… knife. He seems a bit of a… loose cannon. Crazy… or something." He closed his eyes and leaned back a bit more. He was starting to feel that pain in his shoulder as well as the two punches to the face. Diana shook him gently then stopped.

"We'll let him rest for now. So we have three men up and two down. They have at most three so maybe we can take them. We need a plan." Diana's voice was firm and commanding. He could see why Peter trusted her so much. She, like Jones knew what they were up to. He continued to listen to her speaking till he fell into a light sleep again.

**()()()**

Neal was dreaming of the past again.

_It became a habit of his to hang around the courtyard at lunch time, waiting for Lena to show up. She would sit on the bench and he would keep his spot at the tree a few feet away, sitting on the ground with his back to the trunk. She had a beautiful smile. It was a kind of shy but comfortable expression he'd always heard about in movies and books but never seen. Lena spoke to him like he was an equal, asking him about Calculus sometimes when she had a problem with the homework. He had offered to help when he had seen her expression in class after the last test. She hadn't failed the test but the grade was low enough to upset her. While they talked, she put a sandwich on the bench beside her, still in the baggie as she turned away to look in her purse. He took it and she acted like it had never been there. Neal liked her coy little way of helping him without being obvious._

"_**I hope you like it. My mom likes to make deviled ham for dad. I think it's the best.**__" She grinned, eating her own sandwich. He nodded, taking a bite and smiling. He actually liked the stuff, liking that it was apparently homemade and quite good compared with the usual canned version that reminded him a little too much of pet food in its consistency and scent._

_They sat there talking about stuff, mostly books both of them apparently bookworms who liked a lot of the same things. Neal had read more than his fair share of classic novels and stories as had Lena. They discovered they both liked Victor Hugo's __Les Miserables'__ (she had also seen the musical in a nearby city) and Voltaire. They made comments about Voltaire's story "Zadig," Richard Connell's "Most Dangerous Game," and even a few Saki (H.H. Munro) stories. Ambrose Bierce and Ray Bradbury brought a few ah-ha's to them as they compared favorites._

_After a week or so, Neal found himself hanging out with Lena more and more. He had always been somewhat of a loner with the occasional acquaintance or two like Jackson interfering. He tended to avoid those kids but off and on he found himself trapped in their presence. Lately though, he would walk Lena half-way home before turning back towards his own. He tried to avoid going home till he had to, so more often than not he would go by the convenience store and work with Cal who let him do errands for some money or free snacks. Neal tended to go for the latter, hoarding the food he could get in his room at home. His foster family wasn't the nicest. In fact he was practically neighbors with Jackson. He had little privacy and rarely felt safe. His foster father and Jackson's tended to go in on 'jobs' together. They spent much of their 'earnings' on beer, liquor and other purient things._

_Neal did what he could to have legitimate excuses not to be home. Sometimes he used the things he earned honestly from Cal to prove he had shoplifted when he hadn't. He didn't let anyone know he worked for Cal since it was an on and off thing and his father would probably hurt the man._

_A month passed and Neal found himself comfortable with hanging out with Lena. He didn't care she was more privileged than him since she treated him as an equal. She was a bit of a loner herself, shy and some what bookish almost. That was what surprised him most since she was one of the prettiest girls he knew. He didn't think he had a crush on her but he liked her and felt protective. It was by chance he had waited for her one day for lunch and Lena was a no show. His stomach growled but he didn't care. Something told him he needed to find her. She had been in Calculus class earlier so he knew she was on campus._

_Neal had looked everywhere, no sign of Lena till he passed one of the girls' bathrooms._

"_**Shut up already! Stupid bitch! Thinks she can slum it with someone below her. Hurry up and light it already!"**__ He heard the voice, a vindictive female voice kind of high and childish sounding. It sounded familiar to him but he couldn't quite place it yet as it echoed out into the hallway. He moved closer to the open entrance, listening as he heard other hushed voices and a muffled one._

"_**Can't get my lighter to work! Figures. Stupid bitch has some good luck but it won't last. Why not let Jen use her switchblade. Jackson gave it to her special for days like this.**__" The voice was kind of raspy for a girl, hoarse and not the most intelligent sounding. He could only guess it was Jackson's girlfriend Marnie. Neal cringed, sneaking further into the girls' bathroom making sure nobody was seeing him. He could just see the long row of mirrors to the far end and a reflection of who was inside._

_There were four girls: Jen Atkins (one of the biggest juvies in school), Marnie Stiles (Jackson's girlfriend), Erica Jackson (Jackson's sister) and Lena being held by both Erica and Jen in a tight grip, hand over the girl's mouth._

"_**Hurry, before lunch ends and we get caught!**__" He saw Marnie fighting with a lighter, hair spray bottle in her other hand, finger ready on the top. Lena's green eyes were wide with terror as she saw the lighter flash and the hair spray ignite in a large burst of flame near her face._

"_**Ha... stupid bitch is going to wet her pants. Poor baby... maybe that will help put out the flames.**__" The three girls were chuckling, Marnie getting ready for another assault, this time a bit closer. Neal did the only thing he could._

"_**Wow... Practicing some homework from juvie, Marnie? Arson 101?**__" Neal had stepped into view, leaning on the door casually. He saw all the girls freeze and turn to see who spoke. Jen smirked after a moment._

"_**It's ok, girls. He can't do anything to us. He's a skinny shrimp and a traitor.**__" Her voice was cold, green eyes flashing evilly at him. Her dirty blond hair was pulled back in a pony tail. She wasn't very pretty except for those eyes, Neal thought, doing his best to distract as he smirked back._

"_**Oh, really? You going to personally kick my ass?**__" He turned suddenly, pulling the fire alarm button. The girls started to scream as water fell from the ceiling sprinklers and soaked them. Neal moved fast and grabbed Lena, pulling her towards the exit as he kicked the stand holding the door open and locked it in one quick move._

"_**Jackson is going to KICK YOUR ASS, CAFF!**__" He could hear Erica screaming at him as well as the other girls, the sound of the sprinklers still audible as was the alarm. _

_Neal pulled Lena after him to the courtyard where other students and teachers were already starting to come out in droves. He started, leading her another way into a small hallway towards what appeared to be the maintenance area and storage for school and janitorial equipment. Lena let him lead her as they hid in a large closet and closed the door. She was shivering, both of them soaked through but Neal guessing she was still afraid of what had almost happened with the girls. He put an arm around her and his jacket, looking around as he spotted some clean towels for the gym class. He moved away and grabbed some, handing one to her and using one for himself._

"_**Thanks**__." Lena spoke softly, her voice somewhat breathless and full of fear. She was still shivering so he moved closer, sitting and putting his arm around her again. She leaned her head on his shoulder after a moment and they just sat there quietly, the sound of the alarm far off in the background. Finally the alarm went dead and the two bells to indicate everyone could go inside again were being rung. Neal nudged Lena gently and they stood, drier than they had been. They pushed the towels into a dirty hamper and snuck out again, merging with the student traffic as they went back to class._

**()()()**

Neal felt someone nudge him, his eyes fluttering open as the memory paused for a moment. Diana stood over him, her eyes looking down at him in a worried manner. He smiled ever so slightly and sat up with a groan.

"What's..." He turned as a sound of voices approached from a nearby door. He recognized Jackson's voice immediately as well as that of Curt and Lorne. Diana saw his expression and nodded.

"They've been outside making noise but not coming in. They must know we're awake by now. No where to hide in here either. Any ideas?" She was asking him for his opinion but he shrugged, certain he had nothing to add if it was a tactical assault she had in mind. He saw Peter still on the floor unconscious, Jones guarding him while the other two agents were flanking them all. They had more men but that was their only advantage. No weapons meant they were easy targets in an open space. He knew that much and he could see the same thought in Diana's eyes.

The door opened after a moment, Curt holding a large assault rifle as he walked in, standing to the right side of the entrance way. Lorne with another rifle moved to the opposite side of the door, Jackson striding in last of all. Neal sat up stiffly, staring at the men.

"I see every one's awake now... except for poor Agent Burke. I suppose you're wondering why you're all here and where your director is. All in due time." Jackson was grinning, looking at Neal in particular and then at Diana. Neal glared back as he pushed himself to his feet beside her protectively. Maybe he couldn't do much but he wasn't going to let that scum hurt his friends without a fight.

"Still protective of your betters. When will you ever learn, Caff? Have you told them that we know one another yet?" Jackson's tone was obviously meant to draw conclusions if not something else. He stiffened, feeling a soft hand on his shoulder as Diana whispered:

"_What is he talking about, Neal? You know him?_" Her voice held nothing accusatory in it. It was merely a question. He nodded slightly, still looking at Jackson directly. The man chuckled.

"Doesn't matter... you are all being held for ransom. We figured a whole White Collar team was worth more than just getting your bosses so we planned this little '_team building_' exercise. I'm sure you're all just rearing to kick my butt and get your superior back safe and sound." He was pacing back and forth casually, obviously feeling safe with two men holding assault rifles on the agents.

"When we get our boss out of maximum security, your boss will come back. Equal trade. Already in negotiations as we speak." He continued to grin broadly as if he were merely talking to friends casually about some funny anecdote. Neal felt the hatred from his colleagues thick in the room as they glared at the man. He could see Jones stiffen at the words as he continued to kneel beside Peter.

"So that is the update. Continue as you were." Jackson made a stiff turn, the two others following him with their guns facing the agents as they exited and secured the door from the outside. He heard Diana snort in disgust, her hand still on his shoulder squeezing gently. Neal turned and looked into her eyes, a sense of guilt in his. She blinked but smiled.

"So... how do you know him? Do you think it has anything to do with..." She didn't finish as one of the other two agents stood up and glared at him.

"We're here because of him? Figures!" Agent Jeffries spit in their direction, his brown eyes angry. Diana turned and glared at him, walking over and pushing him against the wall.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Jeffries! Now keep it cool or I'll flatten you." Her voice had enough edge the man blinked at her but he was too angry to stand down.

"He knows those criminals, Barrigan! He's obvious in league with them." He made a move towards Neal but Diana grabbed the man by one arm, spun him round and pushed him up against the wall again just hard enough to wind him. Her lips were near his ear and she spoke just loud enough to be heard.

"_I told you to stand down. He's one of us. Ok?_" After a moment the man nodded his head and she let go, moving away and back towards Neal as if nothing had happened. Neal was watching the scene with both a sense of awe but much more guilt. That wasn't going to endear him to the agent having Diana stand up for him even if she meant well. He turned from her gaze but she grasped his arm again.

"Now, you were about to tell me about Jackson."

_oOoOoOo_

_Author's notes:_

_Mr. Monreal was an actual math teacher I had in HS. He was kind of mean and liked to make fun of people._

_For those that aren't familiar with American slang, juvie is short for juvenile delinquent or a bad kid. Also short for Juvenile Hall usually a sort of temporary prison for kids who do wrong like crimes and such. _


	4. Chapter 4

**(Chapter 4)**

Diana let out a breath, her face filled with a sad understanding. He had spoken quietly to her, not wishing everyone to hear the part with Lena but letting the parts that were necessary stick out to all. He noticed Jones looking at him with sympathy. He knew they would stick with him but he was still uncertain with where Jeffries or Baker stood. It was then he realized something. He looked at Diana curiously.

"_Weren't there eight of us? I don't see Karnes._" He was whispering, the agent looking around and suddenly blinking.

"Anyone seen Karnes? Baker you were his partner." She looked at the agent but he shook his head as did the rest of them. Diana cursed.

"I guess with all the excitement we didn't realize we were missing anyone. Caffrey, you said you hadn't seen Hughes yet? Maybe he's with him..." Her voice trailed off before she sat down on the floor cross-legged. Neal joined her, wincing a bit. His shoulder and head still bothered him from the fight with Curtis. He lay back on the floor and curled up on his right side as comfortably as he could, eyes glancing over at Peter. He felt a hand on his arm, looking up to see Diana sitting a bit closer.

"He'll be ok. We just need to get him to a doctor before it gets infected. If only we had a way out of here or some kind of advantage!" Her eyes flashed brightly as she glanced around the room. It was a large metal building maybe 30 x 30 at most but still fairly roomy. There weren't any windows, large metal ceiling fans and vents hanging on poles just beyond the rafters they had been bound to. The fans made a soft '_whooshing_' sound as they spun around, rattling off and on as they vibrated in their rotation. Neal glanced up at the ceiling and watched the fans a moment, eyes moving around the space looking for something.

"Diana..." Jones was motioning her over towards Peter, Neal hearing her move as her footsteps echoed softly. She crouched beside the other agent and they spoke quietly, Diana obviously checking to be sure Peter was ok. Neal sighed to himself as he watched them. He still felt a bit like an outsider to this group especially when Peter wasn't around. Sure, Diana and Jones treated him well but the others sometimes treated him like he was fresh out of prison. It bothered him but he knew when he took the job that might happen or maybe he was naive enough to think nobody would notice if he just acted charming. The thought ran through his head when he winced at the touch of someone grabbing his bad shoulder. Nobody turned to see what was wrong, Diana and Jones caught up in their little chat.

"_Still the same little snitch you were in High School!_" It was Baker's voice he heard, the hand squeezing a bit tighter as he spoke in a harsh whisper only he could hear. He tried not to make a sound when he saw the gun surreptitiously placed next to his cheek.

"_Say anything, and I shoot them all now... ok?_" Baker didn't cock the gun for obvious reasons, moving away. Neal was looking at Diana and Jones, wondering if he should tell them about the gun but afraid of what might happen. Apparently Baker was the inside man. He had to let the others know without anyone getting hurt. He continued to lie there, looking back up at the spot he had found to distract himself.

There was a vent just past the fans he only just noticed. It was one of those metal turrets that spin and cool the attics but how they could get to it... that was the question. It was a good 15 or more feet over their heads on a peaked roof. He pondered the question as he felt himself start to pass out again. Neal's body was still healing from the stress of the day, his face feeling swollen and sore. He wondered if he looked like a calico cat with all the bruises he had from that beating. Neal didn't ponder it long as he passed into a light sleep.

**()()()**

Neal was dreaming yet again of the past. Something about seeing Jackson bringing back long forgotten memories he had tried to forget about.

_Neal had walked out to meet Lena half-way to her house. He waited on the corner near the train tracks, worried about the other day and the girls who had tried to hurt her. It was a few minutes before he heard the vehicle coming as he stood there waiting. He looked up to see Lena in the backseat looking out the window, blinking at the sight of him. She pressed her face to the window but the car moved along without stopping. An older man with the same coloring as her had been driving the car so he figured it was her father. Neal sighed, walking back the way he'd come and headed towards school._

_He made it just before the first bell rang and started to walk inside the main building. Neal turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Lena._

"_**Neal, were you waiting for me by the tracks?**__" She looked at him curiously but without any kind of accusation. He kicked at the ground but felt somewhat embarrassed and shook his head._

"_**No... Why?**__" He wasn't sure why he lied but he saw her nod, seeing a look from her that meant she knew he was lying but wouldn't call him out on it._

"_**No reason. So... did you get your English paper written? What did you think of '**__**Tale of Two Cities**__**?' I didn't think I was going to finish it near the end. I ended up getting Cliff Notes and that made me finish. Such a good story!**__" She was smiling, green eyes a bit watery but she seemed over her ordeal. At least he was hoping so._

"_**Yeah, Darnay. He gives up everything for someone elses happiness. I can't imagine what that would be like.**__" He saw her blink at him but nod, taking his arm as the second warning bell blared._

"_**We'd better get inside.**__"_

**()()()**

_Neal was bent over his locker, grabbing his books for the next class and stuffing them into his bag. Suddenly someone pulled him aside and pressed him up against the wall of lockers roughly, a hand over his mouth. Nobody seemed to notice, his locker in a corner of the building where few students were present during this time of day. Jackson was grinning down at him, gold tooth glimmering in the fluorescent lights. Three other guys stood to either side of Neal, their looks just as evil._

"_**Hey Caff. I heard you got yourself a girlfriend. Marnie wasn't too happy getting soaked during the 'fire drill.' She got detention and was suspended along with my sister and Jen. You're going to wish you had never been born with I get through with you!**__" Jackson made a motion and one of the other boys pulled out what looked like a roll of duct tape, cutting off a piece and pulling it over Neal's mouth. They dropped him onto the floor, bound his arms tightly behind him and with a quick look around, dragged him struggling down the back staircase._

_Neal struggled against them till one of gave him a punch across the chin. He slumped in their grasp, Jackson talking quietly the whole way to the other boys. They were snickering, looking at Neal before two of them left and only Jackson and one other boy were carrying him towards town on the back streets. Neal looked up finding they were at the back of the convenience store Cal owned. He blinked unsure what was going on. He saw Jackson draw a gun on him, cocking it for effect._

"_**So, I know he gave you a key since you work here. Let us in, open the safe and you're free. No more problems. Ok?**__" Jackson said the last part, the gun pushed to Neal's temple. He finally nodded albeit reluctantly, the other boy pulling off the tape from his lips and cutting it from his wrists. Neal rubbed his arms and with a push from Jackson, pulled the key from the chain around his neck and opened up the back door. He peered around and saw the shop had been closed, a note on the fridge in the back reading:_

_**Neal,**_

_**Had a family emergency. Take what you want. I will see you tomorrow. No need to clean up. Shop is good for now. Thanks!**_

_**Cal**_

_Jackson read the note and smiled._

"_Awww, he was even prepared for our stealing something. How sweet. Cal will think you've been playing him when he finds the safe open and the money gone. How convenient." His voice was mocking, the other boy whose name was Derek pushing him forward to the small safe on the floor._

"_Open it!" Jackson sounded angry but Neal didn't want to get accused of something he was forced to do. Cal trusted him. He couldn't hurt him in this way so he stood up straight and turned, glaring at the others._

"_Do it yourself! Shoot me if you want. At least they'll know I didn't rob my friend. They'll put you away like they did your real father." Neal grimaced at the other boy as he saw Jackson's face pale._

"_You little prick!" Jackson punched Neal, throwing him on the floor and pummeling him till they heard the door opening again. The two bullies turned, Neal looking up and hoping it was the police. He saw one of the boys that had left standing there with someone held tightly in their arms. It was Lena! Neal struggled to stand but Derek held him down with one foot on his neck, a switchblade glittering before his eyes. Neal froze, looking up at the frightened form of Lena._

"_So, will you do this if the stakes are higher, Caff?"_

**()()()**

Neal felt someone nudging him awake, wincing slightly from his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find Jones there.

"Hey Caffrey. You feeling any better? Peter's waking up." Jones was smiling ever so slightly in relief, Neal nodding groggily as he pushed himself up to a sitting position and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He stood and stumbled over towards Diana and Peter, Jones in the lead. Neal crouched down again, seeing Peter's brown eyes looking up at the three of them.

"Hey... Neal." Peter's voice sounded distant, his skin pale. Neal reached to touch his friend's forehead and sighed. Peter had a fever, Diana's glance looking worriedly down at her boss. Neal smiled his best down at Peter.

"Hey Peter. How are you feeling?" He wasn't sure what to say, his mind going over all the many options available. There was one that came to mind but even if he did it, no guarantee Jackson would keep his promise but he had to try. He felt a hand on his, cool skin against the warmth of his own. It was Peter's.

"What's wrong, Neal?" Peter seemed to sense his indecisiveness, Neal pushing on his usual charm to hide what he might have revealed. He saw Diana looking at him curiously.

"Nothing, boss. We're just worried about Hughes. Our captors said they were waiting for someone you and Hughes prosecuted to be freed in exchange for us." Diana had taken the lead to keep Neal from having to answer anything he might regret. Neal felt relief at her distraction, trying not to reveal too much, his eyes looking up and over at Baker if only a moment. The man made a slight motion towards his jacket pocket that only Neal saw. He sighed inwardly, wishing he could do more and feeling helpless as he had in the past.

Neal stood up after a moment. He walked over to the door their captors had come through earlier, raising his hand to knock. Before his hand hit the door he heard Jeffries' voice pipe up.

"I knew it... he's in league with those bastards! We never should have trusted him!" The man's voice was acid, venom dripping off his every word as Neal paused, hunching down a bit feeling both helpless and hopeless but he had to try something. Any thing! This was all he could think of. He felt a hand on his shoulder turning to see Diana there. He turned to face her despite everything he thought they were conjuring in their minds about him.

"_Neal... what are you doing? Tell me._" Her words were low enough for just him to hear, her tone gentle but firm. He didn't look into her eyes, looking at the floor between them as he pushed her away.

"You heard him. Jeffries is right. Now leave me alone!" He glared at her without making any kind of signal, Diana moving back with a disappointed nod as she walked towards Peter and Jones. Neal turned back to the door before he lost his nerve and knocked as hard as he could. It took only a moment before they heard the sound of the outside latch and someone pushed the door out slowly. It was Curt. He glared at Neal but he grabbed the door before the goon could close it.

"Let me talk to Jackson. I have something he might be interested in." Neal made himself sound as convincing as possible hoping he could get out long enough to find Hughes and maybe Karnes. If he could just get that much info while stalling, that would be enough and he could pass it to Diana and Jones. Maybe he could steal something like a radio or key but he'd have to be wary of Baker since he was a spy and nobody else knew it but him. He saw Curt nod, closing the door again, the latch locked as footsteps moved away.

Neal leaned forward against the door tiredly, the cool metal far from comforting against his forehead. He felt someone come up behind him and found Baker standing there, the gun hidden and pressed against his ribs as he hissed at him so only he could hear.

"_What are you doing, Caffrey?_" Baker dug the gun into Neal's ribs hard enough to bruise making Neal wince. He saw Diana and Jones watching, trying not to get them involved.

"_Noth...ing._" He coughed out, watching the man glare at him.

"We all knew you were a traitor!" Baker was making himself look good, his fist coming up to hit Neal till someone grabbed it. It was Jones. Neal blinked at the agent seeing his expression although disappointed still keeping Baker's arm from finishing its planned path. Neal felt the gun removed from his ribs and hidden again as Baker pulled away, going back to where he had been sitting before. Neal wanted to thank Jones but saw the disappointed glance as the agent turned and walked back towards Diana and Peter.

Neal felt nauseated suddenly, having to pretend to be the bad guy didn't sit well with him while Baker was obviously enjoying what was going on. He had his back to the door, feeling the latch on the outside move before he heard it. He stepped back and kept his hands in sight as the door opened and Curt and Lorne motioned him out by gun point. Neal didn't turn around as he walked out of the room.

**OoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Author's Note:**

**The reference to Tale of Two Cities is true. I had to read it in High School and near the end I was so bored, I thought about skipping a good 100 pages to get to the end so I could write my paper. I bought the _Cliff Notes_ to find out what I was skipping, read it, cried and then ended up reading the whole book and crying again. LOL Truly memorable for something I had to read for school. And I really love the old 1930s version of the movie with _Ronald Colman_. So fantastic! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**(Chapter 5)**

Neal kept his hands in view, walking between both men as he was led around the corner. Once they were out of earshot of the door, Curt in the lead stopped and turned, gun pointed at Neal dangerously.

"So, what is this information you have for Jackson. I need to hear it before he does." Curt was grinning mirthlessly, Neal keeping his cool.

"It's for his ears only, Curt." He spoke sharply, regretting it when he felt something pulled around his neck till he started to choke, his arms pinned to his side as Lorne continued to press the gun barrel into his Adam's apple. Neal was choking, Curt smiling.

"Like I said... tell me what you have, Fed." Curt moved till they were nose nose, Neal feeling his chest grow tighter, vision beginning to swim and turn gray.

"CURT! LORNE!" Jackson's voice broke the tension, Lorne letting go and pushing Neal forward as Curt took the con's arm and pushed him forward with the gun butt. Neal stumbled forward coughing and sputtering as he tried to catch his breath. They pushed him into a room where Jackson stood over a figure bound to a chair and blind folded. It looked like Hughes.

"Lorne... tie him up there." Jackson pointed between Neal and a nearby pipe that rose out of the floor and into the ceiling. Lorne nodded, pulling Neal back, his arms up and behind him. He secured the con with cuffs to the pipe where a support beam was. Neal was on his tippy toes with the set up, his legs bound above and below the knees with duct tape as was his neck. Neal struggled but couldn't get free, all three men smiling as Lorne and Curt left carrying Hughes and Jackson walked over. He grasped Neal's chin in his hand hard enough to make him wince, continuing to grin.

"So, I heard you had something to tell me. Something important." Jackson flashed his eyes in a threatening manner at Neal, continuing to squeeze at his chin. Neal swallowed hard, his eyes looking briefly to where Hughes had been, then back at his captor.

"Yeah... But I need to ask for something in return." He had barely said that when he felt a hard punch across the chin again. He slumped as much as he could within his bonds, his ears ringing from the blow. Neal felt his head raised again, something cold and metallic against his temple.

"You _DON'T_ ask for anything, Caff! I do. Now... tell me what was so important so I can blow those skinny brains of yours all over this wall." Jackson growled, cocking the gun and pressing it closer to Neal's left temple. Neal flashed those blue eyes dully at the man despite his anger.

"I can give you information. About the FBI. But I want Agent Burke released or you can go ahead and kill me now. I'm sure your father will be happy to be reunited with his son in the SuperMax." He grinned lopsidedly before he felt the trigger pulled and heard the '_click_' of an empty chamber.

"Always a sucker. Even back then you didn't know the gun wasn't loaded." Jackson stepped away and paced, looking back at Neal curiously.

"Why do you care so much for the man who put you in prison? You think he really cares anything about you? He's using you like a tool for his own purposes. You're not equals and you never will be, Caff. Why bother trying to fit in when you could be out there running heists and cons?" Jackson had moved back and was staring into his eyes trying to see something he didn't understand. Neal figured as much but didn't say anything. Jackson slapped him hard, Neal glaring back but still not speaking.

"Stubborn cur! Always thought you were so much better than the rest of us. Thought hanging with Lena would make you better. She's dead and it's your fault. You know that?" He was laughing as if he'd just told a very funny story, tapping Neal's face lightly but in a threatening manner.

"Baker told us you know who he is. I heard it all through the 2-way. Sounds like your so called '_friends_' don't trust you as much as you think. At least with me, you know what you're getting. You know I'm going to turn on you but with the others, they will toss you out like so much trash and still claim to like you. The first time you're out of line... you get the boot. Are really that naive, Caff?"

**()()()**

Diana saw Jones move back from saving Neal from Baker's wrath, the agent looking pissed off if nothing else. She felt a hand grasp hers, the skin cool against her own. She looked down to see Peter staring up curiously at her, his eyes still glassy from fever. Jones crouched back down beside them, his eyes averted.

"What's wrong? Where... did Neal... go?" Peter sounded weaker than he had, eyes black pinpoints in a sea of brown. Diana patted his shoulder gently, checking his wound and sighing.

"Neal..." She didn't know what to say. Diana didn't think he was turning on them. She hadn't sensed that about him. He had been pushing her and the rest away for a reason. It was a distraction but the usual signals weren't there so she had to go on her instinct. She saw Jones looked angry if not confused but he had helped Caffrey, a part of him she hoped knowing Neal wouldn't turn on them. She was depending on that. Something else bothered her though. She gave a quick look up at Baker, the man speaking quietly with Jeffries who was ranting about Neal just audibly enough to catch a few words here and there. There was something wrong there.

"He just sold us out, boss." Jones finished, his voice far from happy. Diana glanced up at him and hissed quietly, Peter looking between them both with a blank expression.

"No... He... would... n't do that." Peter tried to sit up but Diana pushed him back gently as she could.

"It sure looks like it, boss but... well it doesn't matter what I think. I'm having a problem with the _cook_." She emphasized the last word despite the blank looks from both Peter and Jones. Diana felt alone suddenly, this feeling of helplessness something she had tried to forget about all those years after Charlies' death. She felt Peter's hand squeeze hers and looked down.

"He's not... a trai...tor." Peter smiled up at her before his face went slack and he passed out. Diana tried to nudge him awake but he was out cold, his forehead hot to the touch and covered with sweat. Jones looked concerned, turning back to the door. They kept their voices low.

"I hope he's right. We need a way out of here soon!"

**()()()**

Neal hung from the pipe, Jackson having left him alone to '_think_' about things. He fiddled with the cuffs but he was on tippy toes so it was hard to really get a grip and free himself but he kept trying. They had pushed rags into his mouth and taped it closed so he couldn't make any signs to Hughes when they brought him back in.

It was some time, maybe 20 minutes before Neal felt the first cuff give and he freed his other wrist and pulled at the tape around his neck and body to stand. His body gave in though to exhaustion and he collapsed to his knees and then to the floor. He was tired, his body beat up from the constant abuse by Jackson and the others.

"Neal..." He heard a voice, a female voice talking to him. He looked up and saw Karen standing there smiling. She crouched beside him, caressing his hair and holding him. He saw those green eyes flashing down at him as he felt his body relax and draw him back into a light unconsciousness. He started to dream about the past again.

_Neal looked at Jackson then back at the boy who was holding Lena. He nodded finally, walking over to the safe and crouching by it, ear pushed close. He saw Jackson smiling._

"_**So... open it already!**__" Jackson cocked the gun again, pointing it at Lena. He cringed._

"_I don't know the code. I'll have to wing it. Give me a few minutes." Neal had opened a safe before having learned from his step father despite himself. But he truly didn't know the code and Cal didn't share it with him. He saw Jackson frown at him._

"_**Just do it and hurry up!**__"_

**()()()**

Neal woke up again, looking up to see Karen still holding him. Something about her was familiar. He couldn't quite place it but he knew he'd met her before. She smiled down at him.

"_**It's ok, girls. He can't do anything to us. He's a skinny shrimp and a traitor.**__"_

He suddenly realized who she was, pulling himself up but feeling her grip tighten on him, especially around his neck.

"I didn't think you'd remember so quickly. I've changed since we last met, Caff." Jen's eyes flashed at him, nails digging into his bad shoulder hard. He winced and gave a stifled cry as he pushed her away and scooted back. She pulled out a large switchblade as she cornered him and smiled.

"You don't understand what our boss did for us. We all ended up in the military because it was the only thing we were good for. Disposable tools of the government like you are. But we mutinied and formed our own militia. It's amazing what you can do without your betters constantly pushing you down." She was smiling at him dangerously, green eyes glittering like emeralds. Neal looked for some kind of weapon or protection but saw nothing as he felt the wall come up behind and trap him.

"No where to run, Caff. Your friends will die thinking you betrayed them. We'll be sure to send your regards when we kill them." She was about to pounce when something spooked her. She turned and saw Hughes shifting the chair enough it was moving. Jen cursed and turned, knife held dangerously as she approached him from behind.

"Stupid old man. Useless if we can't get our boss back." She made to wrap her arm around the director's head and slice his throat when someone tackled her and her head hit the floor hard. Jen lay there twitching, her knife flying across the floor as she slumped. Neal was breathing hard, finding the cuffs that had held him and dragging her over to the same pipe he'd been attached to, securing her. She started to wake but he pulled tape over her mouth and used his belt to secure her legs. She kicked and struggled angrily as he shrugged at her with a smirk and moved back towards Hughes.

Neal pulled the blind fold off the agent, pulling the tape from his mouth and helping him spit out the rags. Hughes blinked a few times and looked up in surprise at Neal looking down.

"Caffrey? How... don't tell me. Just glad to see you. How are the others?" His voice was the same gruff tone but softened for the situation. Neal went and picked up the switchblade and walked back, cutting the ropes and freeing Hughes.

"Every one's good but I think they may have killed Karnes. Peter is hurt. He needs a doctor." Neal started to slump but Hughes caught him till he could steady himself.

"You look like hell. Who did this? I only know they wanted us to free some crazed militia leader we put a way 7 years ago. I heard some of the conversation. You knew these people?" Hughes was just asking, Neal nodding as he frowned back.

"Yeah... if you can call being neighbors with psychopaths as a kid knowing them." He glanced over at the struggling form of Jen and sighed, a hand touching his shoulder gently.

"It's ok Neal. You're not to blame for this. They didn't seem to know you were involved from what I gathered. Bad set of coincidences but I heard the comment about Baker. They were hoping he could turn everyone against the other but Jackson seemed intent on taking you out. I didn't understand why till now." Hughes joints popped loudly as he stretched his tired limbs from sitting and being bound.

Neal looked around the room for another exit. He saw a vent just below the ceiling. With the chair they might have a chance to reach it and crawl out. He turned to Hughes and smiled.

"Can I borrow your shirt sir?" Neal was looking at Jen/Karen as he watched Hughes pull off his outer shirt and strip down to his tee.

"I'm guessing you figured something out, Caffrey?" His tone was it's usual gruffness but full of curiosity as Neal took the shirt and walked over to Jen and tied it around her face enough to blindfold, She gave a muffled protest trying to kick at him but his belt kept her legs in place, the cuffs rattling against the pipe as she fought. He patted her face facetiously through the shirt.

"_Guess I'm not the stupid kid you thought I was._" He whispered to her as he turned from her struggling form and pointed at the chair and vent in gestures. Hughes nodded. They quietly picked up the chair between them and carried it with stealthy steps towards the vent. Silently, Neal climbed up onto the chair and started to unscrew the vent cover with the switchblade quickly. In the background they could hear Jen protesting till she finally got tired and was mostly silent.

Hughes watched the door and listened. It took less than five minutes for Neal to get the vent loose and push the cover quietly inside the hole. He pulled himself up with a bite of his tongue as he pulled his bad shoulder, peering down the large vent and turning to motion for Hughes to come up. Hughes nodded, using the chair and climbing up with little help. Neal refitted the vent cover as well as he could and screwed it back in loosely but so that it didn't look suspicious before they quietly crawled down the right end of shaft.

**()()()**

Diana kept feeling Peter's head, his fever worse by the minute she could sense just from the touch of his skin. He needed aspirin if not a doctor or he was going to die. She kept looking over at Baker talking to Jeffries, the two men whispering between themselves. She knew Jeffries well enough that he was just a bigot in general but not a terrible agent. Baker though, he hadn't been here long enough to gauge. If he was playing them against Neal, it would figure after what she had seen. Neal had been afraid of the man but for reasons she could only guess at.

"Diana, we need to j..." She socked Jones in the shoulder before he could finish and hissed at him again whispering for him only.

"_The walls have ears._" She just left it at that, Jones blinking at her curiously as he watched her eyes move over to Baker and Jeffries then back down to Peter as she saw him twitch and move some.

"_Who?_" He acted cool as if they were discussing the weather. She sighed hating to repeat herself.

"_the second man in the tub._" She was being coy but figured it was better than being caught saying the obvious. Jones blinked at her again, still looking surreptitiously between her and the other agents. He finally went _Oh!_ and she smirked.

"_About time, Mister 4 point 0._" She was teasing him, Jones blushing.

"_MG... yeah the classics never die do they?_"

**OoOoOoOoOo**

**Author's Notes****:**

**I was being coy with what Diana said about who might be a spy.**

**Who can guess the references? Not hard at all. **_**Even the little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead**_** would know. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**(Chapter 6)**

Jackson walked back to the room where Caffrey and the FBI director were. He wondered if Jen had played with the con like she said she would. Maybe that would make him more pliable. The bully, which is all he really was even as an adult, opened up the door and found it empty and the chair moved. He looked around, rifle at the ready as he heard a faint jingling of cuffs. He assumed it was Caffrey but turned surprised to find Jen blindfolded and bound with the cuffs and a belt to where he had left Neal. He cursed, walking over and pulling the shirt off her, holding the gun to her neck.

"Stupid wench! You let him get the upper hand? He's a shrimp and you let him take advantage? I should just shoot you now!" He cocked the rifle and her eyes widened, looking frightened till he pulled the tape off her mouth and she spoke.

"I was going to kill the FBI director or at least scare him with that but he jumped me. I think they went out the vent. I could hear stuff but I wasn't sure. I'm sorry Jackson... please give me another chance!" She was terrified, her green eyes wide with fear. Finally he nodded, unlocking the cuffs and letting her free herself of the belt.

"This time, kill them both! We haven't heard back from the bureau. They keep giving us some crap about paperwork and shit. If they don't care about their agents, I say kill the lot of them." He was smiling grimly, handing her the pistol he had earlier and a clip.

"Lorne and Curt are just waiting for the word to shoot the agents left. One down, six to go. Baker was hoping for something more than just our boss back but we can start our own militia. This will be our warning to the world!" Jackson sounded obviously deluded by his own power, Jen nodding with a little manic smile of her own.

"Nobody will talk down to or use us again!" She pushed the clip into the pistol and headed out the door, Jackson sticking behind long enough to move the chair as he looked up at the vent. He knew every inch of the place they were on especially after taking it over from the actual employees. It had been easy to kill the unnecessary ones and keep those that they needed till they weren't necessary anymore. That's what made a good future leader: _decisiveness_. Jackson grinned to himself, leaving the room.

**()()()**

Neal peered out the vent into what appeared a storage room with an open door to the outside. He waited a few minutes to make sure nobody was coming around before he pulled out the switchblade again and quietly removed the screws, opening the vent. He slipped out and down with a quiet motion, gesturing to Hughes to sit tight a moment. Neal tiptoed to the open door, peering out after a moment and seeing nothing. He hissed at Hughes an all safe.

"A little late for that isn't it, Caff?" He turned slowly hearing the voice of Jen/Karen and the cocking of a gun. The gun went off and hit him in the chest just below his right shoulder. Neal spun around and collapsed to the ground, hand grasping at his chest as he felt the horrible burning pain of the bullet. He gasped for air looking up as she aimed for Hughes, the director having turned to see what happened. Neal grabbed Jen's ankle hard and pulled, the shot going wild and hitting the ceiling as he slumped and passed out.

Neal was dreaming again but this time he was lucid enough to watch as his adult self.

He watched Jackson beating him, trying to force him to go faster in breaking the combination for the store safe. He kept begging for them to let Lena go but they just laughed, Derek holding her securely. Finally Neal opened up the safe, watching Jackson take the money and a few other things. The bully jumped him and made him watch Lena be killed as he lay there helpless. Then Jackson suffocated him and left him for dead.

He wasn't sure how long he lay there till he woke up gasping for air and found Lena. He held her and cried, carrying her out with him as he stumbled in a daze down the back roads and into the woods. He wasn't sure where he was going but he knew nobody would believe him if he went for help. He found a quiet glen, laying Lena there on a pile of leaves and curling up beside her. He had closed her eyes, laying his jacket over her as if she were merely sleeping and passed out. He didn't remember how but he found himself at the bus depot, ticket in hand and someone nudging him gently awake.

"Son, your bus is here." Neal woke up, feeling disoriented and groggy. He nodded, standing up and walking over to the red and blue bus. He glanced down at the ticket and saw the city he was going to: _New York_. How had he chosen that city of all cities he wondered as he passed the ticket to the driver and climbed on board. He found a seat near the back and pushed his small backpack to the adjoining seat so nobody would sit with him. He wanted to be alone.

_Neal..._

Someone was calling his name. He turned but none of the passenger were paying any attention to him. Neal leaned against the window and stared out at the town he had known as home and was happy to leave it. He closed his eyes and felt a hand on his shoulder.

_Neal... It wasn't your fault._

Neal nodded without waking up, feeling someone gently caressing his cheek. He opened his eyes and saw green eyes surrounded by long dark hair smiling down at him.

_You don't have to run anymore. Remember that._

Neal smiled ever so slightly as he felt warm arms surround him.

"Neal.."

Someone different was calling his name now but he didn't want to leave the bus.

"Caffrey, wake up!"

The voice sounded concerned, pain burning in his chest as he gasped for air. Someone was pressing on the spot that hurt, a wet warmth soaking his tee.

"Caffrey! Dammit..."

Neal knew that voice. They were close by but he was still partially on the bus. He was going to New York. He was escaping.

_Neal... wake up. You can't stay here. You have to get off the bus before it leaves._

The voice was nudging him, Neal opening his eyes to see who was speaking.

_Lena?_

Neal saw her there on the bus, sitting beside him. She held his hand in hers, a soft familiar smile on her face.

_You have to go now, Neal. Please..._

Neal blinked, suddenly finding himself on the bench outside the depot. He looked up to see the bus leaving, a pair of green eyes staring back at him from the back window as she waved. He felt another hand on his shoulder and turned. Peter stood there.

"Neal?"

**()()()**

Neal opened his eyes after a while, the light making him squint. Someone was carrying him, grunting quietly with effort. He looked around and found that he was partially standing, an arm around him in a fireman's carry. Hughes was pulling him along, hiding it seemed in the corridors of a building that started to look vaguely familiar.

"Huuu... ghes?" Neal rasped, raising his head enough to look around him. He felt the man pause and look back some to face him.

"Caffrey? Don't move too much. I think I almost have us out of here and we can call help. I found a cell on that woman back there. No signal inside but maybe out in the woods..." His voice went quiet as they heard footsteps and he ducked back into a nearby closet. Neal nodded to the agent, swallowing. He felt thirsty but mostly he wanted to close his eyes and rest.

"They have to be around here somewhere! **FIND THEM!**" It was Jackson's voice. Neal recognized it, a flurry of memories hitting him as he leaned against Hughes and tried to stay conscious. Finally the footsteps passed out of earshot and Hughes finally grunted quietly and they stepped back out into the hallway and made it outside. It was already night time, Neal unsure how long they'd been in the compound at the paintball park. It felt like a week but it couldn't have been more than 24 to 36 hours tops, Neal thought as he tried to stay conscious.

"Caffrey, you still with me?" He heard Hughes talking to him and squeezed the man's arm in reply. He felt the older agent nod back with a quiet grunt as they hid in the woods.

There was a soft evening breeze, cooling the young man despite the fever he felt from his wound. Hughes lowered Neal to the ground at some point, leaning him against a nearby log and sitting nearby. It was dark enough that they were mere silhouettes, only the faint glow of the cell phone Hughes had picked up revealing the agent's face in a light green glow. Neal slumped back against the log tiredly, listening to the soft beeping of the phone and hearing a faint dial tone as the call went through.

"Arnold... Thank goodness! Yes, it's me. No I'm free but my team is still inside with those murderers. Yes... when can you get a team down here? I have a man down with me and one more inside from what I've gathered. We'll need some paramedics." He nodded a bit then smiled in the soft glow of the cell, Neal watching as his vision blurred and he felt himself passing out again.

**()()()**

"Neal! What are you doing here?"

He turned to see Peter standing beside him at the bus depot from his dream. Neal blinked trying to figure out what was going on. It had to be some kind of odd hallucination but he could feel his friend nudging him.

"Peter? This is a dream... right? You're not really here." Neal started to walk away but felt a hand grasp his arm gently. He was in the dream now, not his teen-aged self. He glanced back at his partner.

"No, this is my dream and I don't recognize anything about this place. Who was that girl on the bus? Where is this place?" Peter actually sounded like he was there. Neal blinked again but finally gave into his subconscious desire to include the agent.

"Well, uh... this is where I grew up before I ran away." Neal felt a bit self-conscious suddenly, averting his eyes to look down at his feet as he kicked at the cement.

"If you're uncomfortable..." Peter was trying to spare his feelings but Neal shook his head.

"Yeah but I guess if you're here... I must want you to know. Want the tour?" He didn't sound enthused but if anyone was going to know about him, it was going to be Peter. He motioned for the agent to follow him back into town.

**()()()**

Hughes nudged Neal as he hung up the phone and found the younger man out cold. He felt his forehead and found he was rather warm, his face slick with sweat. Hughes sighed, hoping Arnold and crew would get here soon, meanwhile they were free but nowhere to run while those nutcases were in charge of the facility. He hoped the rest of the agents were still alive, his thoughts going to Peter who was wounded last he heard.

"Peter..." Neal's voice mumbled the agent's name, his voice barely audible. Hughes mussed the young man's hair gently, sitting beside him as he did the only thing possible which was to wait it out.

**()()()**

Diana kept checking up on Peter, staying by his side while Jones paced. They both kept an eye on Jeffries and Baker to see what they were up to but mostly on the latter. Baker didn't seemed aware or acted unaware that they were keeping an eye on him. Peter stayed unconscious with an occasional lucid moment before the fever took over again. He was burning up and looking ashier with each passing minute.

"_Diana..._" Jones had crouched down beside her again, his voice quiet. She nodded just enough to be seen, her hand holding Peter's.

"_How's he doing?_" Jones looked at their boss worriedly. Diana sighed in frustration.

"_Not good. I wonder if Neal's..._" She didn't finish the sentence, brushing a strand of hair from her face worriedly. Jones nodded.

"_I'm sure he slipped away. He's slick. We just need to wait it out._" He sounded a bit more relaxed, no longer upset with Neal but acting the part around Baker and Jeffries.

"_I hope so. I'm worried about Peter and we still don't know where Hughes is. I say we make a plan to distract and attack. You in?_" Diana glanced at Jones who nodded. He looked down as Peter shifted slightly, patting his boss on his good shoulder.

"_Hold on, Peter._"

**()()()**

Mike Jeffries was the kind of man who saw things in black and white. Peter Burke, his boss seemed fairly grounded and he had been happy to be put in his department when he had been moved to New York. It had been a pleasure to be placed with so many professionals who knew their place and jobs so well. It was quite a change from his stint with law enforcement in his hometown back in Kansas.

Everything had seemed perfect he thought till Neal Caffrey was brought in. The man was a criminal, supposedly reformed and being used by Agent Burke to help catch other criminals while working off his prison time. The man seemed charming enough but that was just it. He was a sly confidence man so why was everyone taken in by him? Yes he helped solve crimes and often allowed himself to be put in danger to do so, but he was just a tool. He couldn't understand why anyone cared about the man in any other capacity than that. Burke seemed to care for the CONsultant as a friend as did a few of the older agents like Jones and Diana. He hadn't been there but a year before Caffrey showed. It had been barely 6 mos since his arrival and he had grown tired of hearing about the con, happy for a like-minded companion when Daniel Baker joined.

Daniel was from a small town in the southwest. He didn't know much more than that. He had recently left the military and graduated with a degree in law enforcement from a state college. He'd come to New York for a change and to look up some old friends. He found Baker as surprised as him to find an ex-con working in the FBI. Baker made comments about how '_lanky_' the consultant was and weak. He doubted the man could make it through the bureau training and survive much less the military. They sniggered quietly about the consultant behind his back but to everyone else acted professional.

Three months after joining, Baker started talking about paintball. He got the idea growing around the office till Hughes decided it would make an excellent plan for team building. Neal had been less than enthusiastic once the plans had been made. Peter had told him to _cowboy up_ and deal with it. Everyone in the office on the team was going. It had made both Baker and Jeffries happy to see the con uncomfortable. Now Jeffries wondered if the con had set everything up. Baker claimed he heard about the paintball idea from Caffrey when he passed by the CI's desk and saw him looking up some stuff on his work PC. Jeffries was beginning to think it was all a setup that Burke and the rest had refused to see.

Jeffries glanced over at Agents Barrigan and Jones as they took care of their boss Agent Burke. They'd waken up to find Caffrey beat up and Burke wounded. Jeffries hadn't seen what had happened but drew his own conclusions with his prejudices. Barrigan had told him to stay down in the con's defense, pissing the agent off but he knew better than to go up against her. She was a warrior in the truest sense even for a woman. He respected her for that, same as Jones who held his own in every case he'd had the honor of joining in. He still didn't understand their devotion to the con but figured it had to do with their respect for Burke who had taken a fatherly or brotherly liking to Caffrey. If not for that, he doubted anyone would treat the con as anything more than a resource.

"_Penny for your thoughts, Mike..._" Baker leaned over and spoke quietly, his glance moving over to Diana, Jones and Peter. Jeffries looked at the other agent and sighed.

"_Just worried about Burke. Nicest boss I've ever had and then that con screwed us over. He's probably back with the rest of them laughing at us right now for trusting him. And what does Burke and his crew get out of this? They trusted him and he shot his partner in the back._" Jeffries sounded seriously pissed off, his eyes moving to the door as if he could bore a hole through it with his glance and find Caffrey. Baker smiled slyly.

"_I say once we're out of here, you get first shot at Caffrey. Burke and the rest will think you're a hero!_" He kept his tone at just the right level, Jeffries falling for it hook line and sinker without a thought.

"_Don't think I haven't thought about it. I want to see him rot for the rest of his sentence and then some._" Jeffries had enough sense to know right from wrong and that someone should pay for their crimes. He wasn't a vigilante but Baker's idea appealed to his sense of justice.

"_Why let him rot it out in prison and have a chance to escape again when you can just end it? Think about it._"


	7. Chapter 7

**(Chapter 7)**

Peter was trapped in a kind of nether place, his mind working with what he was hearing around him. He remembered someone saying Neal had betrayed them and tried to sit up and reproach them but someone had gently kept him prone. Diana was talking to him, calming him down and feeling his forehead. The room was cold, his body shivering in response while he felt the heat of flames around his face. His shoulder burned with pain and he knew Neal had been there helping him at some point but now... he didn't hear the young man's voice anymore. Jones spoke to him off and on and he tried to listen to what the two agents spoke of when he was awake. Other times he was in some other place, somewhere cold and dark.

_Peter... _

He turned his gaze in the darkness, shivering in his tee and jeans and looking for the source of the voice.

_You're awake. Hang on._

Peter was trying to find the person speaking but couldn't, his eyes peering through the darkness till he thought he saw a twinkle of light. The light looked safe and warm, a feeling unlike the cold or heat he felt when awake.

_Don't!_

He paused, still looking at the twinkling glow in the distance, a part of him feeling drawn to the glow despite the warning voice. He stayed back knowing the voice was right.

_Who are you?_ Peter glanced around but saw nobody in the darkness although he did feel eyes on him. He sensed movement but it was more a feeling than anything else.

_Don't you know?_

Peter turned, seeing a shape form from the darkness. He stepped back cautiously before he saw glittering blue eyes in the darkness and Neal appeared before him. The young man looked confident and mildly smug. Peter blinked, cautiously stepping forward.

"Neal? What are you doing here?" He found himself more conscious, lucid as his partner walked towards him. The con was grinning.

"Why do you think? You're the one who brought me here. Must be a reason." Neal's voice was its usual facetious tone, blue eyes glittering with dangerous charm. Peter sighed and sat down, finding a chair in the space. He noticed the darkness taking shape till it became his office at the FBI building. He found himself sitting in his own chair behind the desk, Neal sitting across from him as people moved around outside as if they were really there. Peter blinked in surprise, Neal grinning.

"Interesting you picked your office and not home." Neal's tone was teasing, Peter glancing over at the man with a tolerant smile before he smirked back.

"I guess I'm here far more than I should be... even in my thoughts. So Neal, what's your agenda?" He stood, pulling on his jacket and walking around to stand by the young man who was standing now, shrugging his shoulders.

"Your dream your decision even if I am the rogue element." Neal winked in his trademarked manner. Peter sighed with a slight grin.

"Fine, come along. We're going to see El. I think it's lunch time."

**()()()**

Hughes heard sounds in the darkness after a bit, rousing from his light sleep. He looked at the cell to find it was just after 2 am now. He checked Caffrey to find the young man's forehead still very warm, breath a quiet wheeze as he lay unconscious. Hughes could hear people moving quietly in the darkness, ducking low near Neal in readiness.

"_Got any badges?_" A voice called out softly in the darkness. Hughes blinked recognizing the voice and smiling to himself.

"_Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!_" Hughes stood up slowly, hands up just in case someone got gun happy. He saw three forms come towards him, one shining a light at him.

"Reese?" The man's voice was mellow with a hint of gravel in it, the hand lowering the light as he reached to grasp hands with Hughes.

"Andrew! Bout time you got here. I have a man wounded here and five more still caught inside. They killed Karnes." Hughes was quiet as he spoke the last part, turning to watch as the other two forms in SWAT gear bent down to check Neal. One of them pulled out a small med kit and started first-aid. Reese felt a hand on his shoulder and turned.

"I'm sure he'll be ok. We have a med unit down the way but brought a kit just in case. My boys will take care of him. Let's get you two out of here."

**()()()**

Curt and Lorne heard the gunshots before they showed up down the corridor. They heard footsteps disappear somewhere nearby but saw nobody. Lorne turned and saw a figure with blond hair lying prone on the floor, a groan escaping their lips. He smirked as he walked over and kicked the figure hard in the side. Green eyes gazed up and glared at him despite the pain.

"I knew you were worthless but Jackson seems to have a thing for hometown girls." His voice was derisive, kicking her again but she rolled out of the way, rubbing her side and head.

"Say that when I have a knife in my hands, Lorne." Jen started to push herself up, Lorne offering a hand but she refused. She looked pissed, face dark with anger as she looked around but found her gun gone.

"Asshole took my gun! Give me your piece, Lorne!" She saw him back up a bit but pulled the piece from his belt holster and handed it to her. She cocked it loudly, turning when she saw Curt show. He stared at her curiously without remorse.

"Jackson's going to be pissed you let them get away again." He was smiling grimly. She shook her head.

"Don't worry about that. I'll find the old man and Caffrey!"

**()()()**

Jackson was pissed when he found out Hughes and Caffrey had escaped again. Luckily Jen wasn't around or he'd have let her have it. Instead he took Lorne and Curt and headed back towards the prisoners. He sent Lorne to find Jen while he and Curt went to take care of business. Leader or no leader, they were going to kill the agents, grab Baker and disappear. Damn it all to Hell if Hughes and Caffrey escape, he'd still have decimated a good portion of the White Collar crimes department. That was an accomplishment in itself.

They opened up the latch, pushed the door open and heard a gunshot from inside.

**(Not too long before...)**

Diana turned and cursed at Jones, the agent staring back at her and cursing back. Finally Jones stood up and moved away from her and Peter in a huff, making his way over to Jeffries and Baker.

"Dammit!" Jones dropped down beside the two agents and sat, his face looking rather pissed, something Jeffries didn't see very often especially between the agent and Diana.

"Jones, what happened?" Jeffries glanced at him curiously then back over at Diana who was hunched over their unconscious boss.

"She insists Caffrey isn't screwing with us. I told her she's crazy and even if Burke likes the con, Caffrey has to be one of them!" Jones sounded really angry, his eyes moving over to Diana derisively. Baker moved in a little closer, his expression curious.

"_You don't like the CONsultant either? I always thought you were rather buddy buddy with him, Jones._" Baker's tone was curiously leading, Jones shrugging.

"I've had to deal with him doing an agent's job but I never really trusted him any further than I had to. Now I think he's been playing us all and I hate to think our boss didn't see that." Jones leaned back against the wall and sighed deeply, angrily. Baker nodded, eyes flashing curiously.

"_Well, I do think we should let him know how we feel once we get out of here. Maybe the three of us can do something about it..._" His voice trailed off leaving his words open to interpretation. Jones blinked and looked at the man.

"_What did you have in mind?_" Jones asked with a sideways glance. Baker made a motion for them to come a bit closer, voice low.

"_We put Barrigan out of commission and do this on our own. She's just going to get in the way if we let her in on this. Caffrey will be ours and justice is done. What do you say?_" Baker was convincing, Jones turning to look back at Diana.

"_She's a hard person to take down. I did training with her once. Not someone you cross easily. Besides, we still need to get Burke out safely._" Jones saw Jeffries nod in agreement. Baker shrugged.

"_Of course, we aren't leaving him behind but she'll make it harder if we try to get close to Caffrey. We just need her out long enough to escape. Nobody's left behind._" Baker was back pedaling enough to keep his intent hidden. Jones nodded curiously...

"_So, what's the plan?_" Jones watched Baker glance over at Diana and smile almost coldly.

"_Distract her. I'll take care of the rest._" Baker grinned mirthlessly, Jeffries and Jones rising and moving towards Diana. She looked up at them as they walked over, Jeffries looking down at Peter's hurt form as he crouched and sighed.

"How is he doing?" He forgot a moment about the plan seeing their boss hurt, his eyes looking at the makeshift bandaging Caffrey had performed. It was very well done for someone who didn't give a hoot about the man. He started to have some doubts but when he turned and looked at Baker, his doubts began to fade.

"Not well. He's got a high fever. We need to get him out of here and soon. I don't know how much longer he'll last. Jones, I'm sorry about..." She saw him dismiss her with an angry gesture.

"Not now, just don't talk to me!" Jones sounded truly pissed at her, pushing her back slightly. Diana glared back.

"Jones, stand down! We have others to think about." She had obviously changed into agent mode, taking Peter's position for the moment. Jones laughed derisively.

"Don't act like you're the boss of me, Berrigan. Neal isn't going to come back with the calvary so quit acting like you know anything!" Jones sounded really pissed, making a signal to Jeffries who grabbed her and held her arms back before she could do anything.

"Jones... Jeffries... stop this!" She was struggling against the agent's hold while Jones smiled at her coldly. Baker had risen and was walking over towards them.

"Don't worry, every one's getting out but we're going to get some revenge on the person who started this." Baker was speaking now, Diana looking at him wide-eyed.

"Caffrey? He had nothing to do with this, Baker. Don't listen to him, he's insa..." She didn't finish when Jones slapped her hard and she fell to the ground. Baker laughed.

"I think we should cuff her for the moment." Baker reached down to pull some cuffs that had been used on them on her when she jumped up and flipped him to the floor, holding him down. She poked the man's ear and revealed a small transmitter, smashing it before speaking again.

"Nobody's cuffing anyone except you! Jones hand me those cuffs!" She saw Jones nod and grin, pushing them into her hands. Jeffries was watching in confusion his eyes on the smashed receiver.

"What are you two doing? He's one of us!" The agent sounded unsure of what as going on, Jones giving him a cautious glance.

"He's a spy for them. At least... well what is this?" Diana had finished cuffing the agent, pulling something out of his jacket. It was a small pistol with a silencer. Jones whistled and Jeffries blinked in surprise.

"None of the rest of us has a firearm... where did he get that?" He sounded even more confused now.

"He was trying to divide us. Now I know why Neal looked so nervous. I feel bad for suspecting him." Jones sighed in relief as he helped pull Baker up to his feet. Diana pinned him against the wall, glaring at him dangerously.

"So, Baker... how long have you been involved with this?" She had the gun in one hand near his head. He smirked at her.

"You won't kill me. I'm your way out of here. Besides if Jackson has had his way, Caffrey and Hughes are already dead." He grinned dangerously back, Diana frowning. She turned briefly to look at Jones which was just long enough for Baker to head butt her hard, pull his arms to the front and grab at the gun. Confusion erupted as they struggled for the gun between them. They didn't hear the sound of the door opening as a loud report was heard. Diana and Baker both slumped to the ground, Jeffries and Jones also in the fray unsure what had happened.

"Diana?" Jones pulled his colleague from the other agent seeing blood on her tee near her stomach. He blanched, seeing her expression as she looked down and saw blood on her hands. She was shaking her head as if in shock as they realized Baker had been hit. He lay still on the floor, a gasping breath from his lips.

Jeffries turned at the sound of the door opening, facing it squarely as their captors entered the room. Diana was still shaking a bit, Jones helping her up, as they heard the door opening. She stumbled, Jones keeping her up as they heard voices. She slumped to the ground, Jones hunching over her worriedly.

"What happened here? Infighting? Looks like half of our job is already done." Jackson spoke derisively till he saw who had been shot. For an instant he looked at Baker with what could qualify as remorse till his eyes flashed over emotionless once again. He saw Jones hunched over Diana assuming she had been hit. That meant he had one less adversary to deal with. He knew she was a hell cat when it came to fighting and was glad she was down. Jackson smirked at Jeffries who gazed at the two men with uncertainty. They seemed more conscious of Jones than him, watching Diana and Baker.

"Hold on Diana. Help's coming." Jones sounded sure of himself till someone pulled him from Diana and pressed him up against the wall.

"Yeah... keep believing that after we leave you for dead, agent." Curt was all smiles, looking back at Diana after a moment.

"It's a shame two of your agents shot themselves in a fight." Curt clucked his tongue with little remorse, pinning the agent against the wall. Jackson grabbed Jeffries and pulled him outside, door still open. Jones gulped as Curt smiled broadly, lifting his rifle when a gun cocked behind him.

"I think you may want to reconsider that, Curt." Her voice was just soft enough to hide it from Jackson in the hall but loud enough to express her demeanor. Jones grinned slightly as Curt dropped the rifle into the agent's hand and they gagged and cuffed him quietly. Jones took the rifle and slung it over his shoulder along with a confident air.

"I think you had him fooled. I almost thought you might have been hurt." Diana grinned as they kept their voices low, looking over at the door way.

"We need to get to Jeffries and then get Peter out." She cocked the pistol looking at his rifle. Jones shrugged, giving her the rifle for the pistol.

"After you..." He gestured teasingly as Diana rolled her eyes at him and took the lead.

**()()()**

Jeffries felt the gun pushed against the back of his skull, arm twisted behind him as Jackson held him up against the wall.

"I'll make it quick. You really shouldn't have killed Derek... he was a good man." He cocked the gun, pressing it closer till he heard a sound behind him and turned. Diana smiled at him brightly before smacking him across the head with the rifle butt. Jackson staggered back, Jeffries free now. Jones grabbed the agent and pulled him aside as Diana and Jackson got into it, both dropping their rifles. It was a pretty good fight, Jones waiting with Jeffries to jump in but seeing Diana doing well against the military trained criminal. Jones kept his guard up with the pistol.

Diana dove for her rifle as did Jackson, both in a stand off as the other two agents watched and waited. Jones kept his gun trained on their captor, Jackson grinning as he wiped blood from his lip.

"You're good for a woman. Would have liked to have you on my team instead of Jen. Worthless wench... so, we have a stand off. Who wants to die first? I'm willing to go down for my ideas. How about you, agent?" He was daring her but Diana held fast.

"You won't hit me... I've shot better men than you without breaking a sweat." She was smug but honest. Jackson smiled glancing over her shoulder to Jones and Jeffries. He noted the pistol in the agent's hand.

"Three against one... thought the bureau taught better than that." Jackson was obviously deflecting and distracting, looking slightly nervous.

"You're ex-military, you should be an expert on fair play." She held her ground, waiting for him to move.

**()()()**

Neal woke up feeling cold despite the blanket pulled over him in the ambulance. He shivered on the gurney noticing a couple of IVs pumping liquids into him. Neal pushed himself up weakly to his elbows at the sound of voices just outside. One of them was definitely familiar.

"Looks like you CI's going to recover." This was a voice he didn't recognize, Neal listening at the mention of himself in the conversation.

"Thanks to you guys. He's a good kid. I'm still hoping we can find Burke and the rest of my agents. Peter was hurt last I saw him. Bastard shot him in the shoulder!" Hughes sounded angry in a fatherly sort of way. He really cared for his team especially Peter. Neal lay back on the gurney after a moment, his head still swimming from blood loss due to his chest wound. It stung and burned after the little bit of movement, his breath catching in his throat. He closed his eyes as the world swirled around him, wheezing softly. He sensed someone was hovering over him after a moment and opened his eyes to see a paramedic checking on him. Hughes was in the background just past the ambulance entrance.

"Caffrey... Feeling any better?" Hughes climbed up into the van, Neal noticing the older agent had a sling around one arm and a bandage around his head. In the dim light he could just make out some minor bruising and scratches on the man's face and arms.

"As good as can be said. Any news on the others?" Neal wanted to just ask about Peter but he was worried about Diana and Jones. They were his team and Diana had believed in him when he left to deal with Jackson. He felt a little sheepish suddenly, thinking how he had gone to be heroic and ended up being rescued by Hughes. Hughes patted him on the shoulder gently.

"They've got the place surrounded and already caught one of the four militia soldiers." His expression was grim as he sat beside the younger man and Neal nodding back.

"There were five actually. Uhm..." He didn't know how to say it was Baker being more comfortable talking to Peter than to the others. He saw Hughes arch an eye brow curiously.

"Five? We only know about the girl and three men. Who's the fifth?" Neal sat up as much as he could on his elbows and looked at his superior.

"Baker." He left it at that and lay back exhausted, breath tight in his chest as he tried to get comfy. He heard Hughes move as he closed his eyes again feeling sleepy again.

"Are you sure? He came highly recommended, Caffrey. Caffrey?" Hughes' voice was fading away as he began to pass out again, lips moving without speaking.

Neal was dreaming again, back in his home town before his high school.

"So this is where you went to school? Looks nice enough." Peter's voice made him turn to look at the figure of his friend his mind had created. Peter really wasn't here but it sure felt like it at the moment and it made him feel better not to be alone. He nodded, hands in pockets, kicking the dirt.

"Yeah. Not too many nice memories but one." He left it at that even with Peter turning to ask him quietly what he meant. Neal just walked passed the agent and into the campus. The place was silent, fresh as it had been when he was there but rundown and dirty as he remembered it. He passed through the main hall, Peter at his side and exited out the other end to a small courtyard. Neal paused... feeling Peter bump into him from behind.

"Neal?" Peter said nothing else, placing a hand on Neal's shoulder. He tried not to think about this place or the memory of it from his past. He turned to leave and go back into the main building when Peter moved forward with a smile.

"Hi, I'm Peter Burke and you are..." Neal heard his friend talking to someone and turned back to see a lovely young woman in her late 20s or early 30s standing there. She had bright blue green eyes, long dark hair just past her shoulder and pulled back with a silver barrette with pearls on it. She was just a tad bit shorter than Neal, wearing a brown sweater over black jeans. He glanced back at her and blinked trying to figure out something. She smiled softly, her eyes catching his.

"Lena, Lena Harris."


	8. Chapter 8

**(Chapter 8)**

Neal just gawked, Peter turning to see why his partner was so quiet. Lena's green eyes flashed curiously at him as well. Neal was at a loss for words.

"Lena? But..." He felt his emotions overtake him as he turned to walk away. Someone grasped his arm gently, making him stop and turn back towards them. It was Lena.

"Neal, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Lena was speaking seriously, her voice concerned. Peter walked over and stood nearby, curious at Neal's reaction. This dream was taking a strange turn. Neal just stood there and tried not to look anyone in the eyes, his breath catching as he tried to take everything in perspective. He was dreaming. That's all it was.

"Neal, are you ok?" Peter was looking at him, hand on his shoulder. Neal moved away from them both, shaking his head in denial.

"You're not really here. I'm dreaming... just... leave me alone! I don't want to remember this!" Neal turned and ran across the courtyard and off the campus. He could hearing Peter calling him in the distance, following but he kept running till he found himself in the woods and felt the memories of that night returning.

He had carried her into the woods to hide, unsure where to go or who to turn to. Neal kept running till he couldn't run anymore, a stitch in his side finally winding him enough he had to stop. He bent over to catch his breath, looking up and around him. Neal had returned to the same spot. He recognized the tree, cursing his memory for making him come back here. He turned to go but she stood there on the edge of the clearing and glanced at him quietly. He could hear Peter in the distance calling out for him.

"I'm sorry Neal but you need to remember things. I know you don't want to but you must. It's important. I know you're hurting but please... remember what happened." She was pleading with him softly, his memory nudging him to recall things he had pushed away so long ago. Neal shook his head, closing his eyes but her hands touched his face and he opened them again finding her green eyes staring back into his. After a moment he started to cry, leaning forward as she held him and he buried his face into her shoulder, the sweet scent of something long forgotten in her hair and skin.

"I'm sorry, Lena. I tried... but I couldn't help you. It's all my fault you were killed." He kept crying, his voice muffled as he leaned against her shoulder and she held him. He felt her arms hold him gently, patting him on the back.

"You weren't to blame, Neal. You can stop running, right Kate?" Neal glanced up to see Kate standing there beside Lena, the two looking nearly identical in their face and form, dark hair long past their shoulders. He blinked and rubbed his eyes as he stared at the both of them. How could he have forgotten how much Kate reminded him of Lena. They smiled back at him.

"Now, I think a certain FBI agent is waiting for you." Kate's voice was facetious, Lena glancing over at her and waggling an index finger in mock irritation.

"Go back to your friends, Neal. Find them and be happy." Lena hugged him one last time, kissing him gently on the cheek before she and Kate disappeared. Neal stood there in the clearing, Peter's voice fading away as the scene melted into darkness and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

**()()()**

Lorne had gone to chase after Jen but paused when he saw her grabbed by several men in SWAT uniforms. They hadn't seen him as he ducked behind the wall and peered out to see what was up. He could hear them talking on their radios about capturing one of the militia and he made a stealthy retreat back towards Jackson and Curt. He was disappointed when he found all of them taken down by the agents they had captured and Baker wounded. Too many agents for one man to take not that he didn't think he could but he had to plan his move just right. Take out more of them before they got to him. He went off to hide for the moment.

**()()()**

The SWAT team was surprised when Diana, Jones, Jeffries and Peter came out of the building. Diana had stepped out first, hands up and in sight. SWAT came and checked them out before helping them carry Peter off to the nearest medic. They were happy to find Hughes was doing well as was Neal. Diana lead the SWAT team back inside to the three captors including Baker who had been shot. There was still one more militia member unaccounted for but for the moment they concentrated on incarcerating the few they had and checking the injuries of the agents.

Diana greeted Hughes as did Jones. Jeffries stood off to the side looking rather ashamed if not sick. He was probably going to get some kind of write up for being led along by Baker. In the end he had helped out when he saw who the real villain was but he had still caused problems for Neal with his unprofessional manner. Hughes did not look pleased to know what had occurred but was happy to see that most of his crew had made it out. He would have to contact Karnes' family of his death once they were all processed. It was never easy to tell an agent's family they weren't coming home.

Neal woke up not too long after Diana had showed up to talk to Hughes outside the ambulance. She climbed inside and patted him on the arm gently. He notice her wrists were bandaged from the rope burns where they had been tied up, and one more on her cheek where apparently Jones had accidentally cut her when pretending to slap her. He had profusely apologized to her once Baker had been taken out.

"Hey Neal. Hughes said you saved him. Swept a girl off her feet to do it." She winked at him and he gave a small smirk back.

"Guess you could say that. Sounds like they caught everyone." He felt a sense of relief wash over him as Diana nodded to him.

"Well there's still one... Lorne. You said he was a loose cannon? They haven't found him yet. They're going on what I told them from you. I'm sure they'll catch him." She smiled down at him confidently before leaving his side and being replaced with Jones. The man bared a chagrined looked.

"Hey buddy. Sorry about not believing you before. Baker made us think you were the traitor when it was him all along. Diana made sure he learned his lesson. He tried to take her on." He gave a look that made Neal smile broadly despite feeling somewhat listless.

"Wow... anyone who'd be foolish enough to try and jump Diana deserves what they get. Where's Peter?" Neal looked worried when he said that, blue eyes curious. Jones shrugged.

"They took him to another bus nearby. I was about to go over that way. I'll let you know how he is." Jones did a little fist bump with him before he left, Neal left alone in the ambulance. He could hear the bustle of people around the bus, sometimes seeing a figure or two pass by the open doors. He lay back and closed his eyes again, relaxing. He opened them again when he felt a gun cocked near his left ear and a hand covering his mouth tightly.

"Hello, Fed. We're going for a little walk."

**()()()**

Diana and Jones were visiting with Peter, the unconscious agent apparently doing better but needing a hospital. They were about to ship him and Neal out once they had everything settled in the camp. The paramedics had already hooked up a bag of plasma, another of antibiotics and one more with fluids to keep him hydrated. His fever was just over 103 but had settled for the moment as they placed ice packs on his head chest and under the back of his neck. They had cleaned up his wound and put fresh dressings on it so he should do better once they get him to an ER. Peter had started to come to if only a little, talking some with his subordinates. They had barely told him Neal was doing well when Hughes walked over, his arm out of its sling as he waved at them.

"Caffrey's missing! Diana, Jones... help me find him." They both nodded saying bye to Peter for the moment and taking off. Once they were gone two figures walked towards the unattended bus.

"How sweet. The con and his owner reunited. Jackson would have loved to see this but he's been caught. You guys will be my collateral for staying free at least till I can dump your bodies." He grinned maliciously, grabbing up some extra gauze and binding Neal with it. He pushed some into Neal's mouth and pulled medical tape over his lips.

"Now get inside and behave!" Lorne hissed as he shut the door and locked it. He knocked out the driver and took the keys, starting up the bus and taking off.

**()()()**

Neal struggled with his bonds, his chest wound pulled open a little when Lorne had bound his arms back tightly behind him. He fell back against the empty gurney next to Peter's and felt the world start to gray around him, breath coming fast as he fought the pain. His pulse was rapid, heartbeat erratic as he tried to stay conscious.

"Neal..."

He turned to see Peter mumbling quietly, eyes shut but moving quickly beneath closed lids. He wanted to speak but with the gag in place, only a muffled sound escaped from his throat. He watched Peter open his eyes and turn his head towards him, glassy brown eyes staring at him in the dim light.

"Neal... you're here. Good." Peter smiled ever so slightly, eyes rolling back to white after a moment and closing. Neal couldn't react as he lay there bound and gagged. He wondered if anyone had noticed the ambulance leaving ahead of time. He wanted to do more but his injuries were taking their toll, his eyes closing as his body relaxed and he passed out.

"Wake up!" Someone was nudging him hard, wound burning in protest from the movement. He already felt a warm wetness where blood had seeped from the bullet hole. Neal opened his eyes and glanced up at a blurry form in fatigues. He blinked at the figure as he was pulled to his feet and thrust out of the ambulance roughly. Neal lay on the ground against wet damp grass, something like a twig or rock poking him in the side. He shifted his weight slightly looking around to see trees overhead in the darkness, silhouetted in the soft moonlight. His attention turned to see the same blurry form carrying someone out of a vehicle, dropping the person beside him. It was Peter.

"Mmmph...!" He struggled to help his friend, watching those brown eyes open and stare at him glassily in the darkness. Lorne cocked his rifle and pointed it down at Neal as he cut him loose.

"Get up and carry your '_friend_' before I shoot you now!" Lorne poked him in the side with the rifle dangerously, Neal pulling himself up painfully to his feet, leaning on a tree to catch himself. One he had steadied himself, he bent and put an arm around Peter's waist and raised him up despite the burn of his wound, supporting his friend. Lorne smiled, nudging the con in the back with the rifle barrel.

"Get moving!"

**()()()**

It was another twenty minutes or so before they heard that someone had hijacked the ambulance with Peter in it. That's when they realized the search for Neal had been a ruse and both agents had been kidnapped. Hughes set up a SWAT team to move out immediately.

"I'm coming along!" Diana was already gearing up, grabbing things from the SWAT crew including a vest. Hughes was shaking his head when he saw Jones standing by the other agent and reaching for a vest and gear as well. He finally just sighed grabbing up his own vest.

"Fine... But I'm coming with you, sprained shoulder or not." Hughes sounded fierce, Diana and Jones grinning as they all piled in with the SWAT team. Diana was checking her weapon when a hand grasped her arm. It was Jeffries, a contrite look on his face.

"I want to...help." He didn't avert his eyes from hers till she made a motion to one of the SWAT.

"Get a vest and gear, Jeffries."

**()()()**

Neal carried the weight of his partner despite his own wound keeping him in a haze. Peter's face leaned on his shoulder, the heat of his fever obvious though his tee. The agent wasn't going to last much longer at this rate and he wasn't sure he was going to either not that it mattered. Lorne obviously planned to kill them if nothing else. He didn't bother trying to talk the man out of the idea but he had little strength as it was. Pulling a con at this time would be impossible even if he didn't have Peter to worry about.

Lorne poked him with the rifle butt again, Neal shifting Peter's weight to hold him up better despite his exhaustion. He was running on fumes if even that, unsure what exactly kept him going other than his concern for his friend. Maybe he hoped the cavalry would come but so far they were alone in the forest, twigs and leaves crackling beneath their feet. Neal walked ina daze feeling as if they'd walked forever till he felt a hand on his shoulder roughly pull him to a stop.

"This is far enough. I think they'll have a good search on their hands before they get this far." Lorne's voice was cold and menacing, Neal's back to the man as he looked around him. The place reminded him of somewhere else. Neal stood there, holding the unconscious Peter against him as he waited for the kill-shot.

Neal felt his strength failing him, something wet and warm dripping down his cheeks as he felt his grip on Peter slacken. The agent slumped to the forest floor with a soft crackle of dry leaves. Neal's legs felt like jelly suddenly as he stood there, his back to the man who was going to murder both of them. He had no words that would or could change the mind of someone so intent on killing them for purely selfish reasons. His body shuddered slightly as he felt his body start to shutdown as he realized this was the end. His silver tongue wasn't going to save them nor were any of his skills. His eyes moved down to look at his friend laying on the ground at his feet and his thoughts went back to that day at the airport. Peter had saved him but he couldn't save Peter. He saw Elizabeth Burke's face before him, tears filling his eyes.

_I'm so sorry, El. Forgive me..._

Neal's vision was slowly graying to black as he felt himself fade away, every sound in the quiet forest suddenly crystal clear.

He heard the soft crunching of leaves beneath Lorne's feet as the man moved into range. The rattle of the gun as it was cocked seemed too loud in the quiet of the forest where crickets sang a chorus along with other insects in the darkness. Even the wind seemed louder than usual, the soft breeze rippling through his hair, a soft voice reaching his ears as his legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees.

Neal collapsed to the forest floor, the sound of a rifle going off just a moment before. He felt no pain but wet damp leaves cool against his cheek as consciousness left him.


	9. Chapter 9

**(Chapter 9)**

_Neal..._

_Neal, wake up..._

He heard somebody calling to him in the darkness. It took some effort but he swam up through the haze and fog and opened his eyes. He gave a gasp as if he had surfaced from a deep cold pool of water, his mind still lost in the darkness of wherever he had been. He felt cold, shivering as his body reacted to the sudden change in temperature. Someone held him close, their arms warm and comforting as he leaned his head against them and closed his eyes again.

_You've suffered so much since you left. I'm so sorry, Neal. Please forgive me._

Neal opened his eyes again, slowly this time and found himself peering up into two blue green pools that sparkled with life. She was smiling down at him, one hand gently caressing his hair as he lay against her.

"Hello sleepy head." She continued to smile down at him, sitting on the forest floor holding him. Neal sat up after a moment and looked around at the scenery and realized he knew this place. He felt something fall off of him as he sat up and saw a jacket that looked so familiar.

"I meant to return this but I didn't know where you were. You looked like you could use it." Lena spoke with that soft voice he remembered now only aged slightly with time. He nodded dumbly, not understanding why he was here.

"Am I dead?" He couldn't think of anything else to say, his mind trying to imagine what other significance this place had for him other than death and painful memories. It was the woods where he had brought Lena. He had left her there with his jacket when shock and fear had overcome him. Then ran far away from home never to return until now.

"I don't think so but I am your creation, formed from your memories Neal. I'm the guilt you've held all these years that kept you running away. Don't run because of me." She put an arm around him, hugging him close and kissing him gently on the cheek. He could feel her touch, her soft lips even though they had never kissed. She smelled nice like the soft scent of flowers in a field. He had only known Lena a short time before what happened had happened. He leaned against her shoulder and held her, crying.

"You're gone because of me. If you had just ignored me maybe things would have been different." He pulled away but she grasped his hand in hers and pulled him to his feet.

"No, Neal. You're not going to get off that easily! Stop torturing yourself! It wasn't your fault what happened. I'm not Kate and Kate... she's not me." She had gently taken his chin in her hand and turned his face to hers.

"Peter trusts you, Neal. Believe in him and stop running. June loves you like a son. Stay with her. Elizabeth is like the big sister you never had. Let her lead you on the right path. And Mozzie... well, he's that crazy fun friend we need to keep us all on our toes. He's looking out for you regardless of what you think. Trust them, Neal. Let them in and stop hiding. You opened up for me, open up for them." She gently tapped him on the nose, before planting a quick kiss on his lips.

"It would have been nice to kiss you for real I think. At least i know that's what you think you'd have liked to do." She winked at him, pulling on the hand she held and leading him away from the clearing. Neal followed obediently, his inclination to turn back but she called to him.

"Look ahead, Neal. Don't look back!" Her voice was kind but firm as she spoke. Neal nodded, letting her lead him further from the darkening woods. The scenery started to fill with fog, Lena's form beginning to fade.

_Look ahead, Neal. Look ahead..._

He felt her hand disappear from his as the scene faded into the haze...

**()()()**

Peter had only been vaguely aware of everything that had gone on since the rescue. Diana had spoken to him as had Jones, several other blurry figures in black coming in and carrying him away to a waiting ambulance. It had all been a blur, literally as his fever kept him incapacitated. It was a miracle he was even conscious still with the temperature he had but he was worried about his partner. Neal had been near death when he last saw him but he was assured by his subordinates that Neal had been rescued and was well.

He only caught bits and pieces, his mind hazy from the fever. He was left alone after a while and had fallen into a light unconsciousness. It was the rustling that had awaken him, his eyes opening to find Neal laying near him on another gurney. Peter was too out of it to be aware of what was going on although a part of him knew they were in danger. He saw that his friend was bound and gagged but his fevered brain didn't register it. Peter just knew he was happy to see his friend and partner alive as he passed out again. After that he only remembered bits and pieces of voices, dialogue that didn't make much sense to him even when he heard the gunshot.

Peter was disoriented as it was but he saw a figure fall beside him, a hint of blue eyes in the darkness staring at him briefly before closing.

_Neal?_

He wanted to move but he was too weak to do so, his face aflame, his body cold as ice. Something was wrong but he couldn't react.

_Neal... Neal wake up!_

"Send in a med team. We have two men down!" The voice was familiar, Peter's eyes moving up to see who was speaking. Someone crouched beside him and felt his neck and head. They blinked as they realized he was conscious.

"Hey, boss. Can you hear me?" It was Diana, another figure behind her that looked to be Jones checking on Neal.

"Caffrey's breathing but just barely. How's Peter?" Jones' voice was only one of many, several people in SWAT uniforms moving around in the darkness, the sound of crunching leaves and twigs evident. Peter smiled lopsidedly up at Diana, lips parting but he was unable to speak. She pushed two fingers to his lips and shushed him.

"Rest, boss. You'll be at a hospital soon. We got them all." She gave him a little thumbs up as he fell back into unconsciousness.

**()()()**

Peter dreamed he was at home eating his favorite sandwiches, deviled ham, Elizabeth reading the paper across from him as they sat at the dining room table on the opposite end of the den. He paused after a moment, chewing the same piece of sandwich again without swallowing as El looked up curiously.

"Honey, is something wrong?" She looked truly concerned, putting the paper down as she neatly refolded it. Peter shook his head.

"I don't think so." Peter finally swallowed the bit of sandwich and took another bite as he tried to remember what he was forgetting. El touched his arm as she rose and hugged him from behind.

"You're going to be late for work, honey." Peter glanced up at the clock and then down at his watch and nodded, finishing up the last of his sandwich and coffee. He stood, hugged his wife back and kissed her gently on the lips before grabbing up his jacket and taking off. He turned to watch her wave from the door as he climbed into the Taurus and drove away. He turned the sports channel on the radio and listened to some commentary while he tapped his finger on the steering wheel and tried to think what he was forgetting. After a few minutes and three red lights he shrugged and figured he'd remember when he got to work.

Peter parked in the private garage for the FBI, taking the elevator up to the offices. He waved at Jones and Diana as he made his way across the cubicles and up the small set of stairs to his office. Something felt off but he ignored the feeling till he sat at his desk and turned to his PC. He pulled off his jacket and slung it over his chair as he started to type up some notes from the previous day.

"Hey boss... we were all thinking of doing Chinese today. You in?" Diana had popped her head into the office, a wide smile on her face. Jones was looking up from the lobby below as if he knew what she was asking. Peter nodded, standing up and acknowledging Jones below. The agent gave a thumbs up as Diana turned and left. Peter grinned, turning back to his work. He turned to his desktop briefly to grab a case file when something fluttered down onto his desk. Peter glanced at the item and looked around as he tried to figure out where it came from.

"A paper flower... who would have..." His voice trailed off as he stared at the intricately folded item in blue, a very fine cursive scrawl on one petal reading: _OPEN ME_. Peter blinked, fumbling to unfold the flower and open it up. Inside was a note in the same handwriting, the style familiar but he couldn't quite place it as he read the note. His eyes widened as if something had clicked _on_ over his head.

"Neal?"

**()()()**

Peter woke up, his eyes popping open almost immediately. He gazed around at his surroundings curiously, the bland beige walls surrounding him with a soft flower design in pale yellow. His gaze moved down to his right and the small window, curtained with a pale tan material over a thinner off white covering. A matching tan sofa sat below the window, a figure sleeping there. Peter smiled, moving despite the pain in his shoulder and head. He found himself tethered to the bed with monitors and IVs, wanting to rise and walk over to the sofa. His movements were apparently louder than he thought, along with his mild wince, waking the figure up.

"Peter? Hey honey." Elizabeth rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she sat up and stretched. She stood up and walked towards him smiling, hugging and kissing him as she hunched over the bed. Peter hugged his wife gratefully back, feeling a bit confused about things as he continued to wake up. El seemed to notice.

"Peter, what's wrong? Should I call a nurse? They wanted to know when you woke up." She was reaching for the button but he shook his head, taking her hand in his and kissing it. She blushed. He had missed his wife, thinking he wouldn't see her again, and glad he had made it through the ordeal. El leaned closer to him, head on his good shoulder.

"I'm glad you're ok, Peter. Everyone was so worried because of the fever. You've been asleep for 4 days." She continued to hold his hand, hugging him as he gently lay his chin against her forehead.

"Four days. I barely remember the time at the paintball course. Where is Neal?" He had hardly said the last few words when he remembered seeing the young man staring sightlessly at him in the darkness of what had to be a forest. His mind was hazy as to the details but he could just recall the sound of a gunshot breaking the silence, those blue eyes cold and glassy. Peter felt his wife hug him close and brush the hair from his face.

"Neal's good. He hasn't waken up yet but I just saw him last night. They said he's doing better. Don't worry, honey. I'm sure if you're awake now, he'll be up and about soon trying to get on your nerves." She winked at him as he smirked back, relief obvious in his expression.

"That's good. I had a terrible dream I didn't remember him. He wasn't a part of the team and had never been. It was strange because I knew something was missing." Peter's voice was quiet, thoughtful if not concerned. El nodded.

"You were worried about him and had a nightmare. Speaking of which, Reese told me a bit of what happened to all of you." Her blue eyes were runny as she continued to hug him and keep close. Finally she sat up and kissed him gently, pushing the nurse call button.

"I think we should probably let them know you're awake, honey. Maybe the nurse can give us some updates on Neal."

**()()()**

It was another two days before Neal finally woke up, his eyes fluttering slowly open before promptly closing. The light although subdued bothered his eyes, the young man squinting as he moved his head painfully to either side to see where he was. He had a vague memory of woods and someone being with him but his thoughts were for his partner and team. Had everyone gotten out ok? He remembered a gunshot before he'd passed out but noticed he only had the one bandage still on his semi-bare chest. Neal shifted his weight ever so slightly, his body sore from the ordeal and stiff from what he guessed was having been asleep in the same position for some time.

"Hey there. Steady now." Neal turned at the sound of a familiar voice and firm hand on his arm. Two brown eyes stared back at him smiling.

"Peter?" He blinked, rubbing his eyes in disbelief but smiling finally when he realized he was awake.

"You're..." He paused surprised to see his friend awake and well. Peter grinned at his lack of words.

"Well? Yup. How are you feeling?" He ruffled Neal's hair without warning.

"Good until you did that." Neal stuck his tongue out, smiling slightly as he made a motion to stretch some. The little movement made him wince, Peter helping him by fluffing his pillows and raising the bed a bit.

"Better? Doctor said you were lucky. Only a minor concussion and stress related injuries with the bullet wound but you're healing well." Peter pointed at his own arm in the sling and sighed.

"Jackson and crew are going to get the maximum, especially Baker. Lorne... Jeffries took him out." Peter looked tired if not relieved by the news with only a hint of curiosity as he glanced at Neal.

"I guess Diana and Jones told you what happened?" Neal didn't want to say anything else, hoping that they hadn't mentioned him knowing Jackson or Karen/Jen. He didn't want to remember that he knew them much less what they had almost done to him again. Peter nudged him gently, brown eyes looking at him for answers.

"Yeah. If you don't want to... it's ok." He smiled, mussing Neal's hair again.

"I don't." Neal left it at that his voice a bit harsher than he meant but he wasn't ready to go there yet. He watched Peter nod but with that hint of curiosity still bright in his eyes. There was a sudden silent tension between them when the door opened with quiet warning knock. Elizabeth peeked in and smiled.

"Hey sleepy head. How are you feeling?" El walked over and hugged Peter, kissing him on the lips before she walked around and hugged Neal lightly, planting a small kiss on his forehead. He smiled up at her and grinned.

"Better. I'm..." He wanted to apologize to both of them for some reason, thoughts of what had happened so long ago still making him feel guilty for things that weren't his fault. Most of all he wanted to pull all the wires off once they left and make a run for it. It wasn't fair that they were hurt by his past even if it was just a strange coincidence Jackson and crew had been there. He didn't want to think about what could have happened to Peter much less Diana, Jones and Hughes. Guilt continued to wash over him as he sat there deep in thought. A small cough brought him out of his reverie.

"Neal, are you ok? Want me call the nurse or doctor?" Elizabeth's voice was soft, concern evident. He shook his head but kept feeling guilty. Looking at her reminded him of Lena, Kate and everything bad that could have happened had Peter not come back. El would have been alone without her husband. He felt ill, pulling at the IVs and monitors as he tried to rise despite his weakness, Peter and El stopping him as he made a face, covering his mouth. Peter got up first, grabbing a small wastebasket and brought it over, holding it under Neal's face as the young man threw up. When he was done, El went to the bathroom and brought him back a glass of water and a cloth to wash his face and mouth. Neal leaned back exhausted, eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath.

"Honey, could you call a nurse." She made a gesture with her eyes at Peter who looked confused a moment before he nodded with an "_OH_" kind of look and got up.

"I'll be right back." Peter patted Neal on the shoulder, limping out of the room. Elizabeth gently brushed a strand of hair from Neal's face, his eyes opening to look up at her.

"Feeling any better?" She handed him the glass of water and he took a grateful sip nodding a moment before he shook his head. She smiled softly, an understanding look on her face.

"I know you feel guilty. Peter told me you knew the people who kidnapped you." Her tone was plain without accusation. Neal glanced at her and nodded, eyes averted once he'd done so. She grasped his chin gently and pulled his face to look her way.

"It wasn't your fault, Neal. You didn't know what was going to happen. Nobody did. It was bad set of coincidences. Besides..." She tapped him gently on the nose with her index finger.

"You're the reason everyone got out." She was smiling broadly at him, his face flushed a bit in surprise. She kept smiling, only looking up as the door opened and a nurse walked in with Peter not too far behind.

**()()()**

Another three days went by before Neal was allowed to go home. Peter and El had come with June to take him out to eat in celebration. Neal was happy when Mozzie showed up last minute to join them, the con apologizing for being late to the party. Afterwards, June invited everyone to stay over for a little get together. El and Peter took a room down the hall from Neal's but Mozzie refused for his usual paranoid reasons, June far from insulted and understanding completely.

Neal stood out on the terrace in his silk pajamas and robe, the latter flapping slightly in the breeze and he stared across the city and tried to think of positive things. He heard a soft knock despite the hour and turned to see Peter peeking inside.

"Hey... mind if I come in?" Peter looked a bit sheepish, dressed in a gray pair of sweats and an old college tee. He was wearing white tube socks, his steps light on the wooden floor. Neal nodded, turning back to his view of the city. Peter stepped up beside him and leaned over the edge of the small stone wall and whistled.

"Beautiful view. You're so lucky to have this, Neal." Peter's brown eyes glittered softly in the darkness, taking in the scenery in awe. Neal turned and watched his friend realizing they were very much the same. They had both worked hard for what they wanted although in Neal's case he had been able to both enjoy his cake and eat it too while Peter had held back doing things the honest way. He could see his friend having a nice fat pension in a few years and taking Elizabeth to all the places Neal had already seen. The thought made him smile, knowing they would be able to do that together.

Neal sniffed slightly, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his robe as he thought about his own past and wondered about his future. He felt a strong hand on his shoulder and turned.

"It's getting a bit chilly, how bout we go inside?" Peter was smiling, walking back towards the open French doors, Neal following after one last look at the sparkling city lights. Peter had already sat down on the sofa, socked feet up on the coffee table as he leaned back comfortably, a yawn on his lips as he stretched. Neal walked over and bumped his friend's legs with his shins as a hint. Peter looked up and smirked slightly, taking his feet down so Neal could pass and sit on the other end.

There was a moment of quiet before Peter turned his attention back to Neal.

"I wanted to discuss something with you, Neal." His tone sounded ominous, Neal wondering if he'd done something wrong. He already felt himself squirming as he tried to think of excuses and alibis. Peter read his mind.

"You're not in trouble but I thought you might want to know... Daniel Baker isn't who he seems to be. It was an alias." Peter's tone was somewhat uncertain as he looked at the younger man and tried to say what he wanted to.

"His real name was Derek Angelos. He, Jackson and Karen/Jen were in the military together after joining a program to help rehabilitate teens who were likely to go to prison. They met Curtis there and Lorne and that's how they became a team. Their division leader was a rogue who wanted to form a militia and fight the government. We took him out some time ago just before I started chasing you." Peter sighed.

"Their leader was a man named Smith. Simple name, complicated man. He had issues and it cost three agents to catch him. We had no idea his men were still out there, having caught or killed most of them during the firefight that erupted. Not a memory I like to recall." His brow furrowed into a frown as he fell silent, head leaning back against the sofa. Neal took in everything that was said, realizing now why Baker had seemed so familiar. It was Derek, Jackson's second who had killed Lena so many years ago. Anger filled him with the memory of having to watch her die at his hands before they had tried to kill him. They had stolen so much of his past and nearly his future.

"Derek..." Neal stopped there, clenching his fists to hold back the anger he felt. He felt Peter's hand on his, the touch calming him some.

"Jackson tried to implicate you as did Baker but Jen was dumb enough to tell the truth. Be glad she was blinded by her hatred long enough to cuss you out and tell us how things really were. I... I heard you got the better of her a few times. That didn't sit well with her. Hughes said you got the jump on her and helped him escape. He wanted me to thank you." He could hear the hesitation in his friend's voice, knowing Jen would have mentioned that she and Neal had been from the same town. He wasn't ready to discuss his past with Peter yet. The agent just nodded without saying anything else.

Peter gave a little yawn, standing up and stretching after a moment.

"I guess I'll go to sleep. El's probably wondering where I disappeared to. I'll see you in the morning, Neal." He patted Neal gently on the shoulder before he padded out of the room quietly, closing the door behind him. Neal stared at the door a few minutes before he curled up on the couch, pulling his knees close to his body.

He wanted to share with Peter but his past wasn't something he was proud of and his friends didn't need to know he was a useless nobody from a hick town. Neal curled up into a tighter ball, folding his arms under his chin as he tried to forget and fell asleep.

**()()()**

Peter snuck back into the guest room at June's, tiptoeing to and slipping back into bed. He felt a hand on his arm as El rolled over and looked at him in the dark.

"Everything ok, honey?" Her voice was a soft whisper, her warm lips gently caressing his cheek. Peter nodded.

"I think so. Goodnight, El." He kissed her back, curling up beside her as she settled back into sleep. Peter felt a kind of guilt at not saying more to his friend back there, the feeling keeping him from falling asleep right away. He had hoped Neal would talk to him about how he knew those people but there had been only silence for the most part. Typical Caffrey but he had always been private about his past. Peter sighed softly, hugging his wife gently as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

**()()()**

Another couple of weeks went by before either Peter or Neal were approved to go back to work. Hughes had stayed away to some extent but there was work to be done and finally he allowed everyone to get slowly back to where they had been before the incident. In a way it had brought the team closer together but everyone had been affected differently, especially knowing that Baker had been the inside man and tried to turn them all against Neal.

Neal sat at his desk, staring at his PC monitor blankly. A yellow legal pad was sitting on the desk, his hand idly writing on it as he stared. He woke up when he felt a shadow over him and turned to see Peter standing there looking at him worriedly.

"Nice picture. Who is she?" He kept his voice low as he sat on the edge of the desk. Neal blinked looking down to see he had been sketching on the notepad. It was Lena. He blushed, pulling the sheet from the pad and crumpling it.

"Nothing... I should get back to those case files." Neal opened up a folder beside him on the desk but Peter's hand touched his shoulder making him look back up.

"Come to my office. I think we need to talk." Peter's voice was direct, the agent rising to his feet and moving away. Neal watched him walk away before he finally stood and grabbed up his pad and pen, making his way over to the stairs and Peter's office. Once they were inside, Peter closed the door and sat down. He reached into his desk and pulled out a folder, sliding it across the desk to Neal.

Neal looked at the folder and saw that it was a police record rather than FBI and it was from a town he hadn't thought about in several decades.

"Peter, since when did we start doing cold cases from the Police?" He opened up the file and blinked.

"Just read it." Peter sounded firm but smiled softly when Neal looked at him. He nodded reluctantly, opening up the folder and paled. The name inside read "_Nathaniel Courtney_." There was information about a young man disappearing at age 16 from a small town in New Mexico after a robbery. He was not accused of the murder but thought to have been murdered. Neal blinked as he read the rest of the pages, his blue eyes watering when he got to the last page. He slammed the folder shut and stood up, leaving the office. He sprinted down the stairs before Peter could stop him and left the building.

**()()()**

"I thought I'd find you here." Peter walked up to the bench and sat beside Neal as he stared across the park without really seeing. Neal looked deep in thought, a conflicted look upon his face.

"I want to be alone." Neal growled slightly, starting to rise when Peter blocked him.

"Neal, talk to me. I already read the case file so I know what's in it. I just... I want to understand what this has to do with the people who kidnapped us. I never would have known anything except for Jen. She seemed happy to put you down. Help me set the record straight." Peter tried to sound as sincere as he could, wanting to help Neal but he looked like he wasn't going to stay. He nodded and let go.

"When you're ready to talk, you know where I am." Peter turned and walked away, sighing to himself and wishing he could just wring the info out of his partner but that wouldn't help anything. He shrugged to himself, pulling the keys from his pocket for the Taurus. He had barely strapped himself in when he heard a knock on the passenger side door, Neal standing there. He unlocked the door and the young man slipped inside quietly, his manner somewhat sullen if not sulky. Peter pulled out into traffic, the ride quiet as they sat there with nothing but the sounds of traffic and the car noise in the background.

"I... she was dead. Derek had killed her." Neal's voice was soft, cracking with emotion, eyes staring out the window as he spoke. Peter didn't say anything, continuing to concentrate on the road. He could just make out the reflection of Neal's blue eyes in the window, a sadness he hadn't seen since Kate's death reflected there.

"I woke up and found her still and cold. I had no one to trust so I took her to the woods and left her there before I ran away. I couldn't go back... I never wanted to." His body shuddered slightly, a slight sniff coming from him as he wiped at his face. Peter put a hand on Neal's shoulder and squeezed gently without saying anything. Neal turned, blue eyes slightly pinkish now.

They rode the rest of the way in silence till Peter finally stopped at June's and parked. Neal sat up and glanced out the window, unlocking his belt as he opened up the door and stepped out. Peter didn't move, unsure how to react or if Neal wanted him to. He just peered over to nod good-bye when he saw Neal smile back at him.

"Peter, I have some beer upstairs if you're interested." Neal's voice sounded odd as he tried to be casual. He obviously wanted to chat so Peter nodded at the invitation.

"Sounds good."

**()()()**

They spoke a lot longer than they had thought. El having to show up in a cab to pick up Peter when he called home obviously drunker than he'd ever been. She crinkled her nose at the scent of bourbon and other stuff coming off her husband's breath. Neal smelled about the same, a lopsided smile on both men's faces. Both were rather incoherent and laughing hysterically over something random as June and El interrupted their binge.

"Come on Peter, we're going home." Elizabeth excused herself apologetically as she took her husband and helped him down the stairs, Neal watching and waving in his drunken manner. June started to put some coffee on but Neal waved her off.

"I'm sorry June. Is she mad at me?" Neal had flopped down onto the sofa, head on the armrest as he gave a little yawn and closed his eyes. June shook her head, grabbing a blanket and pulling it over him.

"No, dear. She was just worried. Let me know if you need anything, ok?" June kissed him lightly on the forehead and he nodded groggily and passed out.

**()()()**

Neal woke up the next day with a horrible hang over. He was slightly confused as to why he was asleep on the sofa but June filled him in when she came to wake him up early in the afternoon. Neal apologized profusely, June smiling.

"Trust me dear, you boys were far from rowdy. Never known a nicer group of drunks." She was holding back a laugh, Neal blushing.

"I can imagine, but still. I'm sorry." He gave her a little hug and she smiled back, starting a pot of coffee for him and offering him some breakfast. He nodded thankfully as she left to get food and he went into the bathroom to shower and clean up. By the time he had finished and dressed, June had brought back a small tray of fruit and sandwiches and the coffee was ready. Everything was laid perfectly on the wrought iron table out on the terrace along with a manila folder he didn't recognize. Neal stared at the folder a moment unsure what to make of it till June popped in again.

"Oh, that came for you while you were sleeping." June smiled and left. Neal took a bit of cantaloupe as he opened up the folder and pulled the file out.

"_Lena Harris._" Neal read the name and pushed it away, the file flying off the table scattering papers. One was a photograph, the shiny paper catching his attention as the sun caught it. Neal stood and walked over to pick the photo up.

The figure in the picture looked to be around 30, long dark hair, bright blue green eyes and a sad but beautiful smile. Drops hit the picture, Neal looking up for rainclouds when he realized it was tears. He looked back down at the picture as he wiped at his eyes then moved to pick up the rest of the file.

_Name: Lena Harris_

_Age: 30_

_Occupation: Private investigator_

Neal kept reading finding that his disappearance is what had caused her to go into the line of work she chose. She had been looking for the childhood friend who tried to help her when a robbery went bad. It was then he realized all his memories had been altered by his memories of Kate, adding his current name to those memories when he had been Nathaniel Courtney. Jackson had been calling him _Court_ not _Caff_. He sighed sadly, finishing up the file before he stood and took the folder with him, leaving his room.

**()()()**

"Neal? Hi." Elizabeth answered the door looking a bit surprised. She opened up the door, stepping aside and motioned for him to enter. Neal walked in quietly, smiling back at her as he stood in the entry way and glanced around the cozy home.

"I don't know if Peter was expecting you but he's upstairs getting dressed. Should be down soon. He just woke up a little while ago." She looked at him curiously as if hoping he would answer why they were so drunk but he just smiled and nodded.

"Guess we got carried away last nite. Sorry." He blushed back, following her to the sofa as they heard footsteps from the stairs. Peter peered and blinked as he saw Neal standing there, El smiling back.

"Hey honey. We have company. I'll be right back." She squeezed Neal's arm before walking over and hugging Peter, then disappeared into the kitchen. Peter walked into the den and nodded, Neal nodding back.

"You got the folder." His voice was quiet, obviously trying not to pry. Neal nodded and sat down at the sofa, folder in his hands. Peter saw it as he walked over and sat beside him. They were quiet a moment before Peter cleared his throat.

"All this time... I thought..." Neal stopped short, dropping the folder on the coffee table and staring down at it. Peter nodded, quiet until El walked back in carrying a small tray of snacks.

"Until lunch is ready. Are you staying, Neal?" She sounded hopeful as she lay the tray on the coffee table along with a pitcher of lemonade. Neal looked at Peter uncertainly.

"He is, we just have to finish some work on a case." Peter was smiling, El looking relieved as she made her way back to the kitchen. Neal turned and looked at the agent curiously.

"Well, you're not going to go are you? Besides, did you read the whole file. I think you'll find the last bit interesting. Baker did when I brought it up. He's going away for a long long time." Peter glanced down at the folder, Neal picking it up as if it would bite him and opened it up again. He lay the papers out on the table and read through them as Peter grabbed up a few chips and crunched them noisily.

Neal read the last page, a newspaper clipping finding out that Derek Angelos was wanted on attempted and suspected murder charges in the case of Lena Harris and Nathaniel Courtney.

"_Ms. Harris had stumbled into town and was taken to the hospital. She had been delirious, speaking of a friend who had been forced at gunpoint to open a safe. Calvin Gerrold the owner described Nathan as a reliable kid and knew he wouldn't have stolen from him. If Jackson and Angelos were involved, he had to have been coerced which is where Ms. Harris' was a witness." _

"So all this time... I could have gone back." Neal tried to think what it would have been like to stay there, to grow up in that town and realized even so, he would have had little future with his stepfather's conning, and the rest of the boys constantly robbing and stealing. Something else would have gone wrong. Would his life have been so much different? He wouldn't have met Mozzie, Alex, Kate... Peter and El... June...

He shook his head and sighed, turning as he heard more crunching from Peter's direction. Peter gave him an odd look, pausing to drink some lemonade.

"Want some?" Peter was so oblivious, Neal nodding with a tiny smirk as he pushed the papers back into the folder and moved it out of the way.

"Sure." Neal watched Peter pushed a few onto a small plate and pass it to him along with a glass of lemonade. El came back, sitting across from them as she took a glass for herself and some chips.

"So what kind of case are you working on?" Her blue eyes flashed between the both of them as Neal smiled ever so slightly.

"Just trying to figure out why Peter's so loud when he's eating chips." Neal pushed a few into his mouth, eating quietly as Peter looked at him warningly.

"Don't mock the man who can make you wear orange. It's a cold case honey but I think we have it solved." Peter winked at Neal who nodded back as he sipped at his drink.

"We know that Peter and chips equals the sound of a cement mixer." Neal jumped up and out of range as Peter turned to sock him in mock annoyance.

"Caffrey..." Peter smirked up at the younger man who was now hiding behind El. She was trying not to laugh.

"Well uhm, Honey... you do chew them a bit loudly at times but a cement mixer? Neal... that's just not nice. I would have used rock crusher. My dad did construction so I know what one sounds like." She stifled a laugh as Peter blinked at her comment.

"Two against one... I see how it is." He crossed his arms over his chest in mock hurt, El looking back at Neal earnestly.

"Maybe we should apologize, Neal. I wouldn't want you sent back to jail because you said he sounded like a cement mixer when he eats." She flashed her eyes back at her hubby playfully.

"I'm sorry, Peter. You don't sound like a cement mixer." Neal moved back around and sat beside the agent. Peter just looked at him then nodded uncrossing his arms.

"Thank you. Apology accepted." He reached for some more chips, a background sound like someone moving the arm on a crane coming from Neal. Peter turned and glared at him, Neal looking innocent.

"You're asking for it, Neal."

**(the end)**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Author's Note: Not sure why my endings are getting longer. LOL**

**I also got really angsty in this chapter. Had to tie up all the loose ends so it got interesting. I hope you enjoyed this! :D**

**Now on to the next story... *_whoosh!_***


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